FOOD FOR BRITAIN

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24869, 8 May 1946, Page 10

FOOD FOR BRITAIN

Sir, —The fact that the Wellington rationing authorities answered only one ©f my questions, and that one by referring to a system which has recently started, shows the unsatisfactory method of butter coupon cancellation. Last week Christchurch collected 1400 butter coupons. Does this number include only valid coupons? Were coupons with no names of donor and grocer (it is unnecessary to write to the grocer) or for the wrong rationing period—all valueless —coupons included? Of 263 current book coupons, sent by me since January, possibly 20 per cent, were valid. It is wishful thinking to assume that all uncashed current coupons, will be sent to the rationing office via the card system. If cashed coupons had to be cut out, uncashed coupons would have 100 per cent, value for getting to Britain, as the butter they represent cannot be drawn by the retailer. The Famine Emergency Committee might take this up with the Government.—Yours, etc., GWENDOLINE S. L. JELLETT. April 20, 1946. [This letter was referred to the Rationing Officer. Wellington, but no reply has been received—Ed. “The Press.”]

Sir, —This is a hypothetical example of saving butter for Britain. I and 39 others go without butter for a week, stick coupons on a savings card, and have them cancelled at a post office. In the store with which we are registered there are then 20ib of butter represented by the cancelled coupons. Wnat happens to tnat butter? At the end of the rationing period the storekeeper has to account for his butter and presumably has to declare his stocks. But suppose he chose not to deciare those 201 b. and submitted a false return, is the rationing supervision sufficiently strict to ensure that the falsification would be discovered, or would the result be that the storekeeper would have 201 b of butter to dispose of as he wished?—Yours, etc., WONDERING. April 20, 1946. [This letter was referred to the Food Controller, but no reply has been received.—Ed. “The Press.’’]