ACTION LONG DELAYED

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 305, 20 September 1943, Page 4

ACTION LONG DELAYED

Labour Ministers and candidates are now asserting that butter will be rationed in New Zealand in the near future. What they do, not tell the public is that a request for that step was niade by the British Government months ago. The Commonwealth Government which received a similar request, acted promptly, although dry weathet ; had reduced production, and rationed butter in Australia, but thd authorities here did nothing, although this is the chief butter expoiting country in the world. As far back as last May Mr. Barclay told a small meeting away in North Auckland that this request had been received—that was the first heard of the matter m New. Zealand. He explained that the British authorities wanted to «]aintain —not increase—the existing ration of 2oz. per week in the. Motheil Country, and naturally turned to this Dominion with its large pioduction and heavy consumption. . Then some months later, when he addressed the dairy-fat met at Palmerston, Mr. Barclay said be felt justified in appealing to them to increase production. But the inclusion of consumers in the effort has been deliberately postponed on the flimsiest pretence o on none The people were told that the health authorities had been asked for a report! What of the health of the people m Britain drawing 2oz. of butter per week, while here the consumption approaches nearly one pound weekly ? Then we wei Q e tolc lial ia ’-2 . ing were brought in it would only apply to the 1943-44 season. But that commenced on August 1 last, and nothing has been done 1 e explanation is crystal clear. It is that this urgent request fiom thd British Government was shelved until the elections had been The Minister of Finance told an audience at Da nevirke that “more butter would have to be sen to Great Britain,” but not a word of why. moie had not already been sent, for months have passed since it: wa. urgently requested. These qualified statements—such as the Minister of Rehabilitation, “we may have to i» st,tut . e . rat, ° n * l \ of butter” —create an uncomfortable impression that, the Mmisteis a l Labour candidates have deliberately postponed action, and for pq itical reasons. There could not possibly have been any ;K centive to immediate action than the need of the people of the Mother Country, and the Government of the day here, has failed to do anything Instead we have belated indications that, if they survive the elections, they will act—no doubt with wordy declarations about our duty,of what we owe to Britain for her stand for world liberty, of the need for this heartening gesture, and of the willingness with which the people of New Zealand will comply. Australia, where the pohtica position was insecure, acted and the leader of the Government found the people behind him. Here the leader and the Government have failed lamentably to judge the readiness of the people of the Dominion to play their full part on the domestic front in assisting to lighten the hardships of their kinsfolk in the Motheiland.