NEW SAVINGS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 129, 2 June 1945, Page 8

NEW SAVINGS

ESTIMATED RESULTS

In a survey of the situation, Mr. Sullivan said New Zealand should be able to export a further 15,000 tons of meat a year as a result of the new savings, so that our total increased exports due to rationing would be m the vicinity of 35,000 tons a year. The new butter ration reductions should result in a further 5000 tons of butter a year goirfg to the United Kingdom, making a total estimated additional export contributed under rationing, including the results of cream restrictions, of 15,000 tons a year. A recent official survey of the world food situation, said the Minister, had revealed very serious shortages in most of the staple foodstuffs available to the Allied nations. This situation confronted the Allied nations at a time when tens of millions of hungry and famished people in Europe had been liberated from the Nazi tyrants. The liberation of these people had greatly added to the burden on the Allies' food resources, and there had been production troubles in" various parts of the world due to bad climatic conditions and man-power shortages The Minister said he was sure that it gave most of them somewhat oJ: a shock to read that the Minister of Food in Great Britain had announced further reductions in the already meagre food rations of our kinsfolk in Britain. "The New Zealand Government and War Cabinet." he added, "have faced up to the problem which we share with our Allies in regard to food production and distribution. It is something of a paradox that after five and a half years of warfare against the Nazis our victory over tnem should bring with it a call for yet further sacrifices in our consumption of foodstuffs when, like the British folk, we, too, had hoped for a relaxation of rationing along with other wartime restrictions. But if convincing proof is needed of the seriousness of the position, surely it is sufficient to observe how quickly the decision was made to reduce the rations in Britain when the world food survey had been completed. "Either the United Nations find the foodstuffs by extra production or reduced consumption, or else people in Europe will starve and die and the already meagre rations of our British kinsfolk will have to be further reduced. . If the public could see some of the documentary evidence which has been supplied "to the New Zealand Government, but for the present in secret form, it would have no doubts whatever on the problem which confronts us. WHAT IS AT STAKE. "The problem is something more than the immediate one of feeding people. It is possible that the future peace and happiness of Europe is at stake. If we were not able to relieve the hunger and starvation of Europe, there Ls no saying how far the disillusionment and disappointment that would inevitably be engendered would I contribute to further misunderstanding, "perhaps bloodshed. "Needless to say, the Allied Nations are endeavouring in Europe to do whatever is necessary to provide transport, implements, fertilisers, live stock, and whatever else may be required to enable Europe to produce its own food requirements as quickly as possible. But the food cannot be produced immediately. Meanwhile, the United Nations have a supreme obligation to fill the breach and ensure that good health in mind as well as in body is restored in Europe. For New Zealand's part we can render immediate help. Already we have reduced our sugar consumption to meet the huge world shortage in that commodity." . The Minister said that the savings by rationing represented our willingness to sacrifice some of the food which we had been accustomed to enioy in good measure so that other peoples who had suffered more and who had less food than was necessary for good health might live. "Certainly we may be assured that our giving will still leave us with food supplies' adequate to maintain our high standards of health." continued the Minister. "At present some nations have not enough food to maintain even bare subsistence. Therefore in common with those of our allies who have adequate food resources our duty is clear. The Government and War Cabinet feel that the reduced butter and meat rations is our reasonable sacrifice having regard to all circumstances." UNUSED COUPONS. The Minister said there were a large number of people who consumed only a part of their rations oi butter, sugar, or meat each week. There was evidence that many oi these people had been giving unwanted coupons to their friends or butchers or storekeepers in defiance of both the letter and the spirit ol the rationing regulations. There were many, on the other hand, who were prepared to accept further sacrifices than the official restrictions and to deny themselves part of their rations in order to help the people of Britain and the peoples of other countries in need. The sacrifice and saving of these people could be made effective if they would not pass on to others their un-needed coupons. He knew that in many homes there wa? oenuine difficulty in making do with The official ration, but he also knew that in other homes there were spare coupons on occasions or even regularly He appealed to these person* to destroy all food coupons which their own homes did not need, or post them to th*'" nearest vatinn'ng office.