FOOD EMERGENCY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 193, 16 August 1941, Page 7

FOOD EMERGENCY

"SHADOW LARDERS"

Britain Readv For Worst

Raids Possible Rriti>h omcial Wireless. Rec. 1.30 p.m. RUGBY, Aug. 15. The "Shadow Larder" scheme, covering all of Britain in the event of invasion, or what is described as "the worst blitz which the most pessimistic imagination could devise."' was outlined by the Minister of Food, Lord Woolton. He said that the scheme was based on the assumption that there would be a breakdown in communications. There were already large stocks of food in wholesale warehouses and retail shops and. in addition to the large resources on farms and in private houses, there were created emergency stocks of food.

The country had been divided into 19 areas from which they had created 100 bulkhead sections entirely independent of outside sources in an emergency. As regards food supplies for* the maintenance of the people for a period of time varying according to area, they had worked in close co-operation with the military authorities, who had given their views as to the amount of food they want in each particular area.

Traders had arranged mutual agreements for assistance, so that if one was put out of action another could take his place in providing supplies. The Minister had booked centres for the creation of emergency shops in various towns so as to deal with "post-blitz conditions." They had also arranged emergency wholesale deposits.

In smaller towns and villages they had organised a service of 2500 men who will act as voluntary food officers to distribute stocks of food. If there is a gas attack they will also be issued with special tarpaulins to cover food stocks and prevent them from being damaged by gas.

The first line of defence for the public immediately after a severe raid was "Queen's Messengers" convoys. There were 22 of these convoys ready to go out at a moment's notice to take food to stricken people in a bombed town. The second line of defence was the British restaurants, which would be a centre for eating in the event of a town being severely bombed.

This scheme has been rather slow in developing. There are now 800 of these restaurants in operation, 300 more have been approved, and a further 300 local authorities have just been established, stated Mr. W. B. Christmas, director of wartime meals. They are serving some 170,000 meals daily, and this is being increased at the rate of about 40,000 weekly. New restaurants are being approved by the Minister and put into operation at the rate of 20 to 50 a week, and the figure is increasing.

A third line was the emergency meal centres arranged in halls and schools near the outskirtsof towns. They would be found in all towns of over 50,000 people, and were designed to feed 10 per cent of the population. There are rest centres run by the Ministry of Health through the public assistance authorities. In London and 30 provincial towns there are now feeding arrangements in public air raid shelters. Under the emergency scheme all catering shops have been unified, and it is believed they would be able to stand almost any strain in London by the preparations that have now been made for feeding.