MEAT RATIONING SCHEME

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 121, 17 February 1944, Page 4

MEAT RATIONING SCHEME

Introduction On March 6; Basic Allowance 1/9 Worth Weekly SHARING OUR ABUNDANCE WITH BRITAIN

The rationing of meat is to come into force in New Zealand on Monday, March 6. The Minister of Supply, Mr. Sullivan, announced last evening that under the rationing system to be adopted each person would be entitled to a basi,c ration of 1/9 worth of meat a week with a half ration for children under five years, but with no ration for babies under six months old. This would mean a reduction of about a third in the amount of meat normally consumed in-New Zealand. The ration would average something like 2jib. of meat a week.

Edible offals, such as sausages, tripe, and liver are to be excluded from the rationing scheme. The same applies to poultry. Provision is made for a higher ration scale up to 2/- to allow for the higher price of meat part of the year. A larger allowance of meat is to be allowed some workers in heavy industries. Special coupons will be used, and eopponsi will have to be surrendered for meals containing rationed meat taken at hotels and restaurants.

The Minister said meat was to be rationed in New Zealand because more meat must be sent to Britain. “We are equal partners with Britain in this war,” added the Minister, “and we must do our part. The people, of Britain depends on us for a very large part of their meat supplies, and just as they share with us the things they produce, so we must share with them the food we produce so abundantly. Knowing how short they are of food, we cannot possibly take up the attitude that because we produce meat we must be allowed to eat our fill and send to them merely what is left over. That would be selfishness, and if we were guilty of it we should have good reason to be ashamed of ourselves. So we are prepared to cut down on our own consumption of meat, thereby enabling more to be sent overseas.” Double the British Ration The Minister said the English ration was 1/2 worth, working out on the average at about 15oz. of meat a week. Because meat prices in New Zealand were much lower than in England, the New Zealand ration would work out at more than twice the British ration. The New Zealand ration would average something like 2Jlb. of meat a week. The people of the Dominion would be better off than the people of Britain in other respects, too, because the meats to lie rationed in New Zealand would 'be only beef, veal, mutton, lamb and pork—whether fresh, frozen, cooked or salted. Bacon and ham would not be formally rationed, though these had been restricted in supply under a separate control scheme for some time. Such things as sausages, tripe, liver, or the other offals and small goods made from offals, or poultry or rabbits were not included in the rationing scheme. If people were careful in their use of meat and did not waste it in any way, they should get along very well indeed. Though 1/9 worth of meat a week was the basic ration, there was provision tor a variation up to 2/- worth to allow for the higher price of meat at some seasons of the year, as set otft in the Irw? Tribunal’s meat price order. When the price was higher, the higher ration scale would apply. It would be seen, therefore, that the price control system would play tin important part in ensuring that the worth of coupons was not affected by violent and uncontrolled price variations. The price of all the meat that would be rationed was already subject to control by price order. ■ “The health of New Zealanders will not suffer under meat rationing, said Mr Sullivan. “Full consideration was given to the, health aspect when determining the quantity of meat to be permitted each person under rationing, lhe Health Department was consulted, and the 2}lb. ration is their recommendation, based upon New Zealand climatic conditions. It is very likely that many New Zealanders will benefit in health through reducing the amount of meat they eat. Some people will require additional meat, on medical grounds. They will be able to obtain special permits on presentation of a medical certificate. Some workers in heavy industries will also be able to receive a larger quantity of meat. Special Sheets of Coupons.

Explaining how. the ration of meat would be obtained, Dl r Sullivan _ sal “ special sheets of coupons would be.issued for pasting into the ration book. A complete set of these couirons would be obtained on presentation of the current ration books at the nearest post office. Six of these coupons would cover meat supplies for a week. Five of them would have a fixed value of 3d, worth of meat each and the sixth would have a variable value. For part of the year it would enable one to buy 6d. worth of meat and for the rest of the year, when meat prices

were higher, it would buy up to 9<l. worth. One 3d. coupon for each 3d. worth of meat bought would be surrendered to the butcher. To enable one to get full value for the coupons iu case a purchase does not work out to an even 3d., 6d., 9d., or so on, the butchers would have Id, coupons to give as change. A new set of coupons providing for one week's meat ration would become available each Monday. Each set of coupons must be redeemed within a fortnight. This meant that if people did not use their full week’s ration in the first week of the fortnight, they would be able to use up the remaining coupons in the second week, together with the new set issued that week. Meat could be obtained from any butcher, hud there would be no registration'of customers with individual butchers. The only restriction in this respect would be that when a butcher gave a Id. change coupon that coupon could be redeemed only with the outcher it was obtained from. So that the rationing might apply fairly to all, coupons would have to be surrendered for meat meals taken at restaurants or hotels. For each such hotel or restaurant meal containing meat which was rationed, one 3d. meat coupon would have to be surrendered. Manufacturers, such as pastrycooks, using meat in their products, would receive up to 66 2-3 per cent, of the quantity of meat normally used by them. Cats and dogs had not been overlooked, and special provision was being made for them. Application to Fanners. Farmers would be able to kill their own stock for meat, just as they had done in the past, and they would be able to supply it under a mutual sharing arrangement with their neighbouring farmers. Meat could not be sold by a farmer other than as already mentioned without a permit first being obtained Meat coupons would be made available to farmers who did not kill their own stock for domestic supply. The question of meeting the travelling arrangements and other needs of farmers who normally killed their own stock was under consideration and would be announced later.

The details of the rationing plan would be announced by the Food and Rationing Controller. They had been worked out in collaboration- with the butchers on whom a great deal of work would fall when the plan first came into operation. Their help was greatly appreciated by the Government. The public generally would realize the difficulties the butchers would have to cope with till everybody was fully accustomed to the details of meat rationing, and customers should do all they could to help the butchers in the operation of the scheme. The Government also appreciated the help given by various farmers’ organizations' and other interested trade associations. -j The Minister said further details of the meat rationing scheme would be. announced in the newspapers and on the radio during the next fortnight, so that by the time the plan came into operation all would thoroughly understand it. “Our 1/9 worth of meat a week will make it necessary for us to plan our meals, plan our meat buying, and to avoid waste," he added. “We shall certainly find that it causes us some inconvenience, but it is equally certain that for none of us will the inconvenience amount to real hardship; By giving up some of our plentiful food, even suffering a little inconvenience in doing so, all of us at home here in New Zealand will be playing our part on the economic front in this war, just as our men are playing their part on the battlefields. j: “We shall be helping the people of Britain with tens of thousands of tons of additional meat, and our own boys stationed in Britain and fed in Britain, and also those fed from Britain. AU of them need our help, and in giving them that help we shall make more certain of the victory for which all free people are ■- fighting. I ask for the help of all true New Zealanders in this effort to assist the heroic people of Britain in their mighty struggle for the freedom of the world.”