The Press FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1946. World Food Shortage

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24801, 15 February 1946, Page 4

The Press FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1946. World Food Shortage

Days have passed since the Prime Minister, in London, said that New Zealand realised the responsibility of every food-producing country to the stricken areas of Europe and Asia and pledged the Dominion to play as resolute a part in fighting famine as in fighting Hitler. What the Prime Minister said was repeated by the Minister of Supply here. On Wednesday' the Mayor of Auckland, Mr J. A. C. Allum, wrote to the Acting-Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. W. Nash, assuring him of the widespread desire in Auckland to “ take some definite action ” and asking for advice on certain points. It is safe to assume that this desire is as strongly felt everywhere else in New Zealand, and that a statement of the Government’s intentions is impatiently awaited. It may be freely acknowledged that the Government’s delay in announcing both immediate and long-range proposals is not necessarily inconsistent with hard thinking and prompt action. Evidence that Ministers and their advisers have thought and acted to some purpose will probably come; and the sooner it comes the better. But it is difficult to believe that a silence running beyond a week has been unavoidable. The Australian Government a week ago had found it possible to announce many measures, increasing shipments of food. The Canadian Minister of Agriculture had issued a statement on his Government’s plans. It is not necessary for Wellington’s calculations and arrangements to be complete to the last detail, before anything is said; the advantage of announcing a first instalment of the full programme of aid is psychologically too important to be lost—important in NeW Zealand, and important in Britain. Nobody can doubt that there is much New Zealand collectively can do, and that the individual can contribute and know he is contributing. The Government should harden this conviction by making a bold and early appeal to it.