FOOD FOR BRITAIN

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24983, 18 September 1946, Page 10

FOOD FOR BRITAIN

Sir, —We all have a wide difference of opinion as to how to send as much food as possible to Britain. Is coupon collecting our only method of assuring Britain of a record amount of food? I think not. Coupon collecting is penalising a small but very loyal section of the community—the butchers. Have we all forgotten the great work done by the ‘ Christchurch Master Butchers’ War Effort Committee? Something like £ 12,000 was raised by the efforts of a dozen leading butchers to send comforts overseas. Mr Hay will agree this was a good effort; and now he is keen to cut further a much rationed trade. —Yours, etc.,* ONLOOKER. September 13, 1946.

Sir, —While deprecating the personal attacks on the Famine Emergency Committee, a great many folk strongly object to the committee’s methods, believing that if the saving is necessary it is a matter for the Government, which should take the necessary steps to reduce consumption. This offering of rewards for coupons and setting districts competing, *particularly school children, is wrong. What districts head the list? Those where everybody has a cow, poultry, sheep, and pigs (Marshland School and Blenheim). Then recently an announcement as to the value of the coupons surrendered was made. Presumably Britain pays for the goods, whether made available to her in the ordinary way or by surrender of coupons. And could not the same result be achieved by just not collecting the rations and save all this ballyhoo?—Yours, etc., PLAIN JANE. September 11, 1946. [Mr J. L. Hay (chairman of the Christchurch Famine Emergency Committee) said he had no comment to make when these letters were referred to him, and that furthermore the questions they discussed had been dealt with very fully and on many occasions by the committee.]

Sir,—-I shoqld like to support “Not a Butcher” in reference fo the coupon campaign when he suggests that the subsidy may be the driving force behind the campaign. With the number of coupons collected, one readily realises that a great saving is being made in subsidy. Save food by all means, but be fair to the butcher. How will Mr Sullivan react to “Romney’s” challenge? Will Mr Sullivan tell us his Government is selling fat cattle from State-owned stations in the local market because-the price is much better than can be received if -sold for export? If the Government showed as much energy in getting surplus sheep and cattle slaughtered for export as it is in collecting coupons, we could all say, ‘‘Well done.’’—Yours, etc., ANOTHER FARMER. September 16, 1946.