FOOD FOR ARMIES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 53, 4 March 1943, Page 5

FOOD FOR ARMIES

AUSTRALIA'S TASK

Entire South-west Pacific And Help N.Z. If Needed

N.Z. Press Association. —Copyright Rec. 1.30 p.m. CANBERRA, this day. Australia had accepted responsibility for feeding the whole of the United States forces in the Southwest Pacific area and to extend that responsibility to what New Zealand was unable to supply in the South Pacific area, declared the Commonwealth Minister of Supply, Mr. J. A. Beasley, when answering demands by Sir Earle Page for a single food authority in Australia. There had never been a complaint from the Allied fighting forces in Australia of shortage of food through a breakdown in supply, said the Minister. Nor had Australia refused a single request from Great Britain, India or the Middle East for food supplies for the fighting Services. "To-day I authorised the production of dry provisions for our American Allies covering a twelve months' programme to the value of £16,000,000," added Mr. Beasley. "These needs we can meet in addition to those of our own fighting forces, the essential needs of the civilian population and our commitments to Britain and other war theatres." Comparison AVith Britain The urgent need for the appointment of a Ministry of Food in Australia, with full power to implement the policy of price stabilisation, was emphasised by Sir Earle Page in the House of Representatives. A comparison of food production figures in Britain and Australia showed a sharp contrast in favour of Britain, where there was unified food control. English prices to consumers had been stabilised at a reasonable rate, added Sir Earle, and this action had stabilised wages, with the result that the cost of living had not moved m the last 18 months in Britain, while in Australia it had increased 15 per cent. In England the Food Ministry set out to stimulate production along selected basic lines of foods by guaranteeing remunerative prices to farmers. Australia must follow the British example of dealing with %he problem as a whole.