N.Z. WOMEN AND FOOD VALUES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 101, 2 May 1938, Page 12

N.Z. WOMEN AND FOOD VALUES.

Amazing Growth of Newly-formed League.

Miss A. E. Lorimer, M.Sc. and A.1.C., honorary secretary of the Xew Zealand Women's Food Value League, wae found this morning amidst a pile of correspondence. It was the result of a public meeting of the Xew Zealand Women's Food Value League held in the Town Hell last evening, and Miss Lorimer was thrilled with the immediate results of their work. During the past week 600 new members have been enrolled and the interest in this league for the betterment of national health has gTown with surprising rapidity. "The progress has been amazingly srood." said Miss Lorimer. "When the league started la*t November as an incorporated society we had only 27 member*." she said, "and now, six months later, we have a membership between 1200 and 1300. I think the women of New Zealand," she continued, "are at last beginning to realise the power they will have by banding tbemselves together with the object of assessing food value. . . ."'

"The Food Value League." she explained, "is of the opinion that a* women are mainly responsible for the bnvinff and serving of food, then it is their job to tackle the food problems of the country." Miss Lorimer, who is an analytical chemist by profession, realises herself the importance of a chemical examination of food and it was with this object that the New Zealand Food League wae started. Once a month, they public!, a bulletin in -wiidfci their

analytical results are published. In this way the housewives are able to know the exact nutritious value of the foods they are buying. "A housewife should know." said Miss Lorimer. "the food constituents of what she is purchasing and the Food Value League are endeavouring to give thi* information in their monthly bulletin. They aleo give detailed accounts of the League of Nations nutrition reports. which explains and enumerates the foods necessary for correct nutrition.' . The League's ConcernIn giving her opinion of the meeting held last night Miss Lorimer said that Dr. Chapman advanced an interesting theory concerning the causes of head- j aches, indigestion and constipation. In ' his opinion the lack of vitamin BI a contributory cause to these illnesses. and he also expressed the theory tLat it : may be a similar contributory cause of : infantile paralysis in New Zealand. Dr. i Chapman also dealt with the interesting work that is being carried out in con- j nection with eczema in sheep. He suit- i nested that lack of vitamin F maybe i one of the contributory cau<>es of this disease. In connection with these statements- Miss Lorimer explained that such ' things were also the concern of tlie j Food Value League. The Health De- j partment. the Agricultural Department and the medical men of the country, slip j said, were doing all they could to com- j bat these conditions, but the league also had a vital work to carry out in connection with chemical analysis in this ! matter. "The health of the country ." said j Mi*s Lorimer. "is women's concern as ' well as men's, and through the Food, Value League each housewife can do her bit towards benefiting the general : health. Unfortunately the leajrue is \ only in its infancy and in spite of its j rapid growth during the past. Miss < Lorimer still expresses the hope that | even more women will take an interest in the vital food problems that confront them. By joining the league." she con-! eluded, "they will contribute towards the spreading of knowledge of true food values." How to Join. Any woman may leave 2/6 annual subscription at any of the following depots and receive her receipt and all the bulletins for the current year. The end of the 1939 financial year is the end of September. Miss B. Sinclair, Box 1525, Auckland. Lewis Eady. Limited, Queen Street, Auckland. Miss H. Small, Health Food Store, 246. Broadway, NewmaTket. Mr. W. R. Atwell. chemist. 763.. Xew North Road. Mount Albert. Mr. J. MeDougaU. chemist. 1222. Great North Road. Point Chevalier. Mrs. H. Staley. fruiterer, 255. Ponsonby Road. Ponsonby. Mrs. Doherty. Standard* Dairy, 181. Parnell Road. Parnell. ] Mr. McCormkk. The Linen Room. Strand Arcade. Queen Street. Mrs. Anderson. Roseberry Poultry Farm. Birkenhead. Mr. J. Elliot. Health Food Store, 234. Onehunga Road, Onehunga.. Globe Importing Company, booksellers and stationers, 184, Upper; Svmonds Street.