RATIONING OF BUTTER

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23946, 13 May 1943, Page 4

RATIONING OF BUTTER

REQUEST MADE BY BRITAIN MR BARCLAY’S VIEWS (P.S.S.) WHANGAREI, May U. “The British Government has asked that butter should be rationed in New Zealand and Australia so that the ration of two ounces a person can be maintained in Britain,” said the Minister of Agriculture and Marketing (the Hon. J. G. Barclay), when speaking at Maungatapere, ‘The request has come from Britain and I think the people of New Zealand will be behind the Government if it accedes to the request.” Mr Barclay said the north had been seriously affected by the dry spell this season, and it had caused concern to the Government. Lack of rain had brought about a reduction in dairy produce of about 9 per cent, on last year, and to a figure L approximating that of 1938-39, the year before the outbreak of war. Consumption in New Zealand of butter had increased by about 1000 tons on last year and by about 2000 tons on the year before the war. The interim return of dairy produce graded for export showed that there was a decrease of 9.787 per cent, in butter-fat production for the nine months from August, 1942, to April, 1943, as compared with the corresponding period for the previous season. Production had been maintained splendidly in spite of war difficulties, notably in the shortage of manpower and fertiliser rationing. Mr Barclay quoted the following figures showing the quantity of butterfat received at dairy factories for manufacture into butter, cheese, condensed milk and dried milk:—l 937-38. 170,999 tons; 1938-39, 155,049 tops; 19,3940. 108,07(1 tons; 1940-41, 183,058 tons; 1941-42. 171,751 tons. Stocks of butter in store in the Dominion on May 1 totalled 34,000 tons, compared with 38.500 tons on the corresponding date last year, while the respective figures for cheese were 23,000 tons and 40,000 tons. „