VITAL MUNITION OF WAR

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23969, 9 June 1943, Page 5

VITAL MUNITION OF WAR

NO RELAXATION OF FOOD PRODUCTION From Our Own Correspondent TTMARU, June 8. The need for production of food to be kept up as a vital part of New Zealand’s war effort was emphasised by Mr W. W. Mulholland in an address to a conference of the South Canterbury Executive of the Farmers Union this evening. Food was a jnost vital munition of war, said Mr Mulholland, and it would be a grave mistake to think that at any moment the nation could relax its war effort, or consider itself safe. The good victories of the last few months were small in comparison with the whole conflict. There were people who spoke of stores being choked, but. in war there had to be some waste to ensure supplies being sufficient. Because of insufficient stocks being held in reserve, New Zealand was faced with the rationing of some foodstuffs which normally were in plentiful supply. A call for the greatest possible effort from farmers was made by Mr Mulholland. He said that the manpower situation was one of the most difficult problems to be faced in maintaining production. If there were no change of policy in this matter soon, he added, there would be a marked worsening in the dairy industry before the end of the year. He was satisfied that it was not possible to maintain production if the present strength of the armed forces was kept up.

Mr Mulholland said that if the Government decided to maintain the strength of the armed forces, farmers would have to keep production at the highest possible standard. Apart from pin-pricking things, there was the urgent question of an adequate return to farmers for products to be considered. Up to the present, the Government had shown a marked dislike to discussing this problem, he added. Mr Mulholland also dealt with the need for consideration being given to rehabilitation problems, stating that this Herculean task was only being fiddled with at-present. An intelligent approach should be made to problems of post-war reconstruction.