RATIONING POWERS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 113, 15 May 1942, Page 5

RATIONING POWERS

Declaration Of Any Commodity Or Service •AUSTRALIA HASTENS PLANS Rec. 1 p.m. CANBERRA, May 14. Powers to declare for rationing purposes any commodity or service in Australia are vested in the Minister of Customs. Mr. R. V. Keane. by regulations which have been gazetteu. The only limitation is that the Minister cannot declare for rationing any service supplied or carried on by a State unless the Government concerned agrees. The chairman of the Rationing Commission. Mr. A. W. Coles, announced that ration books would be introduced throughout Australia on June 13. This is nearly three weeks earlier than the date originally anticipated. Mr. Coles said that, broadly speaking, the British svstem of rationing would be followed, but u would be adapted to Australian con ditions. Coupons would be issue , for a period of a year and restru tions might be imposed to comix; coupon holders to snread their purchases over the year. The commission would decide how manv couponwould be equivalent to eac'n rationed article, but the clasres of goods ;■> be rationed would be decided by thFederal Government. .The Tea Control Board has bee.: given power to control coffee as we.' as tea. The board will take over treimportation and distribution ■->:

coffee. This does not mean tha coffee rationing ha? been introduce.: