FURTHER CUT IN MEAT RATION

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 14930, 18 March 1949, Page 3

FURTHER CUT IN MEAT RATION

ONE SIXTH LESS IN FUTURE

Only 8d Worth Of

Carcass Meat

Argentine Supplies

Fall Short

London, March 17.

111 ten days’ time the meat rationing in the United Kingdom will be cut to ten pennyworth a week, compared with a shilling’s worth at present. It was Is 2d worth for most of the war years. Of this tenpence worth eightpence worth will be carcass meat and the rest canned. The announcement of the cut wamade in the House of Commons today by Dr Edith Summerskil'. Parliamentary Secretary of th •' Ministry of Food, She said the rer son was the fall-off in shipment from the Argentina. The agreement signed wit’; Argentina last year was for 400,001 tons of fi’ozen meat, but this ■ had fallen short by 108,000 tons—that L by more than a quarter Dr Summerskill said the failure of Argentina to send the supplier contracted for under the agreement is a matter of great concern and disappointment to the British Government.

Negotiations were now in progress with the Argentina for a iresl. agreement, and the future of the British meat ration for the next year or so depended on the outcome. Dr Summerskill added, “We have made it clear, however, that we are not prepared to pay unreasonable prices, to submit to unreasonable conditions of sale, or to pay dollars. Petrol Increase Before the news of the cut in meat rations was given in Parliament other statements announced an increase in the petrol rations and in the allowances for tourists abroad. From May 1, tourists from the United Kingdom will be able to spend up to £SO a year on holidays in Europe. This compares with £25 a year ago. The aPowanoe can be snent in Austria, Belgi'um, Denmark, France. Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands. Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Motorists in the United Kingdom will get enough petrol for 810 miles in the six months from May, compared with 540 miles in the previous six months.