POST-WAR FOOD SUPPLIES

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23945, 12 May 1943, Page 2

POST-WAR FOOD SUPPLIES

IMPORTANT PART FOR NEW ZEALAND ADDRESS BY MR NASH (P .A.) WELLINGTON. May 11. “New Zealand will have one of the greatest responsibilities m post-war relief settlement, for one of the fD latest demands will be in the fie d of milk foods,” said, the Hon, W. Nash, delivering the inaugural lecture ol the newly-formed social science section of the Royal Society of New Zealand tonight. “It will take at least 10 years. I think,” said Mr Nash, "for the woild to reach the point at which it will have sufficient milk foods. One of the most disturbing features of post-war relief lay in the probability that there would, except perhaps in the case of wheat, be no surpluses such as it had been hoped to store up against a sudden demand for the supply of the occupied countries. However, a permanent settlement was more important than immediate post-war relief. and the forthcoming United Nations’ conference at Hot Springs was to consider a long-term settlement. The problem of world production and distribution of raw materials would have to be dealt with in the same way, though the present inter-Allied boards would serve as a basis, and might possibly be developed into world distribution controllers. The success of various forms of control Was evident. Mr Nash instanced the Ministry of Food in Britain. The farmers of Britain wanted it carried on after the war, "I do not think a peaceful reconstruction will result if Britain and the United Slates work out the reconstruction alone. Unless China and Russia are invited and play their parts,” said Mr Nash, “there is a prospect of an even greater war. I do not think all C c fault is on one side. I know Stalin Was invited to the Casablanca confeience. and it was even offered to change the venue if he wished; but I don t think Chiang Kai-shek was invited, though he was kept fully informed ot deliberations; but unless the type ot conditions we design lor others is the same as we would accept for ourselves we cannot expect others to accept them. The four nations should get together now. . _ .. “You may say the Russians are the most sceptical and suspicious of all nations; but we are most likely to get the best results if we go to them and lay our cards on the table. The world won’t stand a return of the pre-war state of things. If they returned there would be a revolution at once. The prospect of social reconstruction in Britain is better today than it has ever been.” Mr Nash then dealt with the transfer of population, and said New Zealand should make it clear to some people in the north-west Pacific that it was not because of race or colour that we had not allowed them to settle here. “If we think.” added Mr Nash, “that wo can continue to hold this country on a population of one and three-quarter millions, then we. are dreaming. There are resoui’ces in this little country sufficient to support a population of five or six millions if they are handled properly.”