FOOD FOR BRITAIN.

Evening Star, Issue 25634, 7 November 1945, Page 4

FOOD FOR BRITAIN.

The statement made by Dr Franklin Bicknell, a London physician, of the effects on the health of the British people of " less than adequate " rationing should not be idly read by New Zealanders, who know hardly anything of shortages in the true sense, and whose experience of rationing has been little more than nominal. The debt the Empire and the world owe to British people for their stand in the darkest years of the war cannot be defined in mere words, and it is not a debt that is repayable, in the main, in a practical sense, but something more than lip service, of which there has been plenty, is possible. If the people of Britain are being reduced to a state in which their normal well-being is seriously impaired because of a diet deficient in the essentials that would ensure a reasonably healthful standard of living, then it is up to the people of the dominions to undergo a little voluntary belt-tighten-ing, and to make certain sacrifices on behalf of their kith and kin in the Mother Country, who are to-day living on a rationed food basis even more stringent than in the worst war periods. The need has already been recognised by South Africa which .has despatched millions of pounds of food of all kinds. Australia has sent a share, and even visiting warships have been converted into temporary cargo ships with their limited available space filled -with cases of foodstuffs; while Canada has been another loyal daughter. In New Zealand there has been considerable talk but little in the way of action, beyond the meat and butter rationing, which was imposed solely to, aid. the people of Britain. That the increased quantities sent to Britain through this have been appreciated has been evident in acknowledgments that one is disposed to feel are more generous than deserved. » Some time ago a suggestion was made that New Zealand should send to Britain £20,000,000 worth of produce over a two-year period, this to be in the nature of a gift. Britain does not require money: £20,000,000 in cash would probably not purchase one extra ounce of food in markets already strained to the utmost to meet the tremendous demand imposed by millions of starving and near-starving people in all the liberated countries, but £20,000,000 worth of good food might not only avert the risk of epidemic, but would certainly be of immediate benefit to the people's health in general, while the bonds of amity between the Mother Country and the Dominion would be further strengthened. Last night the- local Community. Sing Committee raised £456 to pay for food to be sent to Britain; Auckland housewives lately introduced among themselves a voluntary rationing scheme, denying themselves one week's butter, tea, and sugar. They surrendered their coupons for that week, and paid for the amount of goods which the coupons would have bought, the understanding being that ,the food represented by them was to be sent to .Britain. These are fine little efforts, but they are as drops in the bucket when the overall need is considered. The City •■ Council in August last passed a resolution recommending to tho Government that ' a gift of £1,000,000 worth of New Zealand produce should be made to the people of Great Britain as a small token of the. heroic stand made by them in the cause of world freedom.'' While tho Government has intimated its willingness to grant facilities for food to go to Britain it has given no official backing to any general scheme, nor has it given any indication that it intends to introduce any Dominionwido plan. This is the Government's responsibility, and' it should be given the most serious consideration with as little delay as possible. The people are certain to support any sound proposal brought forward.