COUPON PUZZLES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 63, 15 March 1944, Page 6

COUPON PUZZLES

PURCHASING MEAT

PUBLIC AND RATIONING

The scene is a butcher's shop in Auckland. An elderly woman is making her purchase, and the conversation runs like this:— •Butcher: One and ninepence, please. Elderly woman produces 1/9 worth of coupons. Butcher (taking them): One and ninepence, please. Elderly Woman (indicating coupons): What are those worth? Butcher: One and ninepence. Elderly Woman: Well, that's right. Butcher: But 1 still need one and nine in cash. Elderly Woman: But I have given you one and ninepence in coupons. Butcher: But lady, l require one and ninepence in cash besides. Elderly Woman (in amazement and indignation): Do you mean to tell me, young man, that I have to give you some money as well as the, coupons? Butcher (hopefully): Yes. lady. Scenes like this are commonplace! in butchers' shops to-day. One' butcher described the public as being | "as dumb as ever."

Another mistake many people make is in connection with the penny change coupons, which are also regarded as having a money value. One cashier described how she had often been told that she had given short change because she had not counted as a penny cash any change coupons the customer might hand in.

Butchers are gradually training customers to detach their own coupons, but still a large number think they can tear off a coupon from anywhere on the sheet.

Some people watch closely to see that no mistake is made, or too many coupons surrendered, but others, more especially those with large families, appear quite indifferent as to how many coupons are taken. It is not an uncommon experience for the mother of a large family to come in and present a whole sheaf of coupon sheets to the cashier to extract those needed to cover a purchase. The amount of additional work for butchers as a result of the rationing is indicated by the fact that one city shop alone handles 18,000 to 20,000 coupons a week.

Country Customers Country customers caused difficulties, and one shop had found that the simplest method was to hold the coupons of such people, who usually had a standing order for delivery once or twice a 'week, and to deduct coupons as each order was dispatched. Although this entailed extra work for the office staff, who had to keep such customers periodically informed as to how their credit coupons stood, it was simpler and more satisfactory than any other method.

People last week seemed to save their coupons for the week-end joint, and Friday in many shops was as busy as the normal Friday before rationing started. This week shops have been a little busier than last, but it is still expected that purchases will be heaviest at the week-end.

An Auckland forecast that the rationing system will cause consumers to buy beef instead of mutton and lamb is apparently beinc borne out. Lamb and mutton cuts are dearer than beef and as practically every joint contains a percentage of bone and fat, there is a double reason for preferring beef. In one shop last Saturday all beef was sold out by 10 a.m., while there was still plenty of lamb and mutton left.