BRITAIN’S NEED

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 61, 7 December 1943, Page 4

BRITAIN’S NEED

Increased Shipments Of Meat And Butter MAINTENANCE OF MEAGRE RATIONS Dominion Special Service. MASTERTON, December 6. “Rations in Britain have been scientifically planned and are just sufficient to keep people alive and veil,” said the United Kingdom High Commissioner, Sir Harry Batterbee, in an address to the Masterton Rotary Club today. “I wonder sometimes whether the smallness of the rations is fully realized: only 2oz. of butter a week, 4oz. of margarine and 2oz. of .cooking fats, and 14d. worth of meat. "These may be .lust enough to keep body and soul tog . I.T, but it is the sameness and mom l t uy and lack of variety of food which when continued year after year become very trying, as I think that any household in Now Zealand would find if they would try these rations for a month. There are no dainty cakes or buns to be bought in Britain, or any other of those pleasant tilings which add variety to our diet.

“If there is any diminution in these meagre rations, .then the health and vitality of (lie people must suffer, and unless by some way or another the .people of New Zealand ami Australia can find means to increase the supply of dairy produce and meat to Britain, this is hound to happen. “Mr. Nash has recently warned us of this danger, and .has urged the importance of the people of New Zealand striving by every means possible to avoid such a possibility. Great Britain has never appealed to New Zealand in vain for any help that the Dominion is fible to give, and I am confident that, she will not. now. “Travel for pleasure purposes is severely discouraged. Trains are so crowded and travelling is so uncomfortable that this alone acts as a deterrent. Owing to the extreme shortage of petrol and the necesisty to conserve every possible gallon for war purposes, there is no variation in petrol rationing in Britain throughout,the year; no petrol at all is available for pleasure purposes or for holidays or special periods. Increasing military activities will inevitably involve even closer conservation of all petrol supplies, the position regarding which, is in consequence becoming increasingly more difficult.”’