MANY UNISSUED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 56, 7 March 1944, Page 6

MANY UNISSUED

COUPONS FOR MEAT

HOW TO ASSIST BUTCHERS

Although meat rationing came into force yesterday, an official at the Auckland rationing office estimated to-day that there were some 20,000 to 30,000. persons who had not yet obtained their ration coupons. Some 6000 sheets were issued yesterday, bringing - the total on issue to approximately 196,000.

Busine'ss was brisker in butchers' shops to-day, when people who did not stock up heavily over the weekend came forward in greater numbers to make purchases. The demand was still keenest for unrat,ioned pieces, but the proportion of customers buying cuts for which coupons are required was greater than yesterday.

Butchers consider that as a result of the heavy buying at the end of last week it will not be until late this week or early next that business will settle clown on the new basis of restricted buying.

Some customers do not yet realise that coupons may be used loose, and hand over the whole sheet for butchers to take whatever coupons are required to cover purchases.

Public Conserving Coupons

The hardest-hit at the moment under meat rationing seem to be grill room proprietors. A large proportion of the meat dishes served in grill rooms, one manageress pointed out. were steaks, and her experience wah that, whereas normally nine out of every ten customers bought steaks, yesterday only three were served. Takings for the day were down 50 per cent, she stated, and only 16 coupons were collected. Customers seemed to be conserving their coupons for their week-end purchases for their homes. Fish and eggs were in short supply, and many customers, when they found they could not get their usual steak, did not order at all.

Hotels, on the other hand, were apparently not so much affected. Certainly, chefs had to make alterations in the menu, so that couponfree dishes could be included, and make it possible for customers to obtain meals without surrendering coupons, but there was no noticeable difference in the number of guests in the restaurants. Customers seemed, for the most part, welt acquainted with the restrictions, and were able to give their orders accordingly.

Advice to Consumers

The manager of one city shop pointed out that if customers who know how many coupons they can afford for a purchase asked for their order in terms of cash instead of by the pound, matters would be simplified. By so doing they could have the requisite number of coupons ready, the butcher would know immediately what size cut to make, and any change in cash or coupons would be quickly estimated. If, on the other hand, consumers asked for meat by weight the chances were that they would not correctly estimate the cost, and much time would be wasted, for either the butcher would have to reduce the weight or the customer must produce more coupons.

Owing to the demand for unrationed goods, many butchers are imposing a limit on the quantity of these sold to individual customers, thus enabling distribution to be spread as fairly as possible.

■ - It was stated by-the,Army authoritiesthis"morning' that arrangements had been made for the issue of coupons to men on furlough. On their return to New Zealand these men were being issued with ration coupons, and by taking these to the nearest Army area office they could exchange them for a new issue which would include meat coupons.

Meat coupons have also been issued to Allied servicemen who obtain their meals out of camp.

Trooper R. K. Barnes, brother of Mrs. B. Bathurst, 146, Richmond Avenue, Auckland, has been reported as having died of wounds in Italy.