WHAT WE EAT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 209, 5 September 1927, Page 9

WHAT WE EAT.

MUCH BUTTER, LITTLE CHEESE. THREE TIMES AS MUCH ]*»T AS MUTTON. APPLE MOST POPULAR FRUIT. (By Telegraph—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, this day. Although New Zealand is one of the great dairying countries of the world, its people eat only half as much cheese per head as the people of Britain.

Interesting details in regard to the consumption of foodstuffs in New Zealand are given in the Abstract of Statistics for August

"It might be confidently expected that the annual consumption of butter and cheese per head of the population would be high," says the Abstract, "but, although this is the case with butter—27lb per head—it is not so with cheese, the 51b per person being very small when compared with a consumption of 101b per head in the United Kingdom.

"The people of New Zealand have always been regarded as great meateaters, and that this assumption is based on more than mere supposition is amply borne out by the figures. The average consumption of fresh meat per head of population in the Dominion is 3551b, while in addition 2ilb of preserved meat and 14ilb of bacon and ham are also consumed. Beef easily heads the list with an average consumption of 8371b per person, followed by mutton 781b, pork 321b, and lamb 81b. For purposes of comparison the figures for Australia and Canada are given herewith—beef, 1101b .and 751b; mutton and lamb, 691b and 81b; pork (all kinds), 141b and 781b respectively.

"Of the agricultural products flour leada the way with 2001b, closely followed by potatoes, l»llb. Onions are credited with 12|lb, and oatmeal, rolled oats, and other similar preparations with 9*lb Of the imported articles rice has an average consumption of 51b per head, sago and tapioco 21b, and cornflour, etc, Hlb. The figures for- dried fruits are also substantial, those for raisins and sultanas, dates and currants being naturally most prominent.

"Fresh fnrit Is now regarded as quite an important article of food, and the consumption figures throw some light on the wtcnt to which the different fruits are consumed in the Dominion. The ever popular apple comes easily first with 371b for each person, bananas being second with 17Jlb, oranges third with 101b, and pears next with 6Jlb."