WHITE OR BROWN?

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 17, 20 July 1921, Page 6

WHITE OR BROWN?

THE BREAD CONTROVERSY

SAUSAGE-MAKER'S INFLUENCE.

When Dr. Wilkins was addressing the Wellington Education Board this morning on questions of . school children's health, Mr. B. A.-Wright, a 6 a member of the board*, switched the talk into an interesting direction. He asked Dr. Wilkins bluntly, "Is a man who eats wheafmeal bread a crank?"

Dr. -Wilkins retorted: "What is a crank?. It must be remembered that it takes a crank to make a wheel go round." A crank was a man who held views that were not well founded; but the nutritional value of wheatmeal bread had been scientifically and absolutely proved. Therefore a man who believed in it was not a crank. He advocated the use of wheatmeal bread.

"We are up against the bakers and the millers in this, and it even comes down to the .sausage-maker." He had 1 been informed by the Master Bakers' Association' that as the result of the propaganda work done last year, twice as much brown bread was being made now compared with last year. But these were difficulties. For instance, if the bakeTs had brown bread left on their hands, the sausage-makers would not take it. It would"not absorb as much water as white bread; and would not make such heavy sausages. The bakers also liked a bread material that absorbed a lai'ge percentage of water; they liked to sell a? much water as possible.

i Mr. Moss said ho had heard complaints that some brown bread was not made of proper wheatmeal, but of ordinary flour mixed with bran. This, he was told, was because the Government regulations. forbade the milling of whole-meal, and bakers could not get it. ' '' ' ' .

Dr. Walkins 1, said that there was no regulation preventing the manufacture of wheatmeal, and it was easily obtainable. The whole question came down to the matter of demand. If the people .insisted on getting wheatmeal bread,.'it would be supplied. At present the supply lagged behind the demand, because the bakers did not want any surplus. They had to s.ttack the matter at both lends —to educate the public and the suppliers; but if the demand was insistent enough the suppliers would be forced into line. t. . • '