COUPON CAMPAIGN

Evening Star, Issue 25776, 26 April 1946, Page 9

COUPON CAMPAIGN

SAVINGS FOR STARVING HIGHER EXTRACTION FLOUR A DARKER LOAF (P.A.) WELLINGTON, April 25. "The Government has decided that, as from May, flour mills throughout the Dominion are to ' manufacture flour of 80 per cent, extraction," the Hon. D, G. Sullivan said, in a broadcast to-night. " This is a measure which has also been introduced very recently in the United States—indeed, since the development of the food crisis. Britain during the war worked on an 85 per cent, extraction. This was temporarily reduced to 80 per cent, after the war, but was again restored to the 85 per cent, level during the present acute food shortage. " The bread baked from the higher oxtraction .Hour • loses a little, ©f its white colour," tho Minister continued. " Health authorities are very definitely in favour of the higher extraction of ilour because of its hicher nutritional finalities. The new extraction of 80 per cent, will mean" that a given amount of wheat, will go a good deal further—in other words, more flour is extracted out of _ the wheat grain. There is a shortening effect, however, on supplies of bran and pollard, and this question is being discussed with the Xew Zealand Poultry Board. ! "This action of the Government will not result in any less flour or bread being available to the people, but it is estimated that the change now decided upon will effect an ' annual saving of at least 500,000 hushels of wheat," said Mr Sullivan. "The wheat which is saved will result in a corresponding reduction in the tonnage to be imported from Australia, from which source the full supply which I arranged to purchase while in Canberra last year is still avaliable if we should want it. The Commonwealth Government has indicated, however, that any reduction we make in our wheat imports from Australia will be promptly exported to wherever the wheat is most needed in the faminestricken countries." The Minister stressed that the people nf the Dominion could voluntarily reduce the consumption of wheat by a larse amount if they were to avoid a waste of bread in their homes. It had been stated that something like one-tenth of a loaf of bread in the average home was wasted one way or another bv throwing away ends and crusts and also by allowing bread to become stale

COUPON SAVING

HAMILTON BIG LEAD IN DRIVE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, April 25. Hamilton maintained its position as the leading district for the week in the Food for Britain Campaign butter and meat coupon, drive. The week included the holiday period, when the post offices were closed and when.many people were holiday making, hut tie increase in butter saved—is regarded by the National Famine Emergency Committee as being outstanding in the circumstances. A notable feature is that the cities, with the exception of Christchurch,. reflected

the holiday period most severely, and, as was pointed out by the chairman of the committee in an interview tonight, had the cities maintained their drive, the result would have been a very sharp increase in the grand totals

The record butter figures came from l/ivercargill, and only a great meat drive in Hamilton held that district at the top. Nelson made a leap from a low position in last week's list to third place, while Wanganui, second in the first week, was consistent to finish fourth. Other big. increases on the previous week were shown by Gisboriie in particular, Timaru and Whangarei, while some of the districts at the bottom of the list showed the eifect of committees starting to work in their areas. "This result during a period when the collecting centres and post offices were closed for some days, and when a large percentage of the population had shopping upset by the holidays or were actually. holiday making, is outstanding," said Mr T. N.. Smallwood,, chairman' of the National Famine Emergency Committee, commenting on the returns. " The real force of the drive should come in the next fortnight, as practically all the local committees are operating actively now," he continued. " Another main cause of the better returns is that people are realising that coupons can be cancelled and posted free to the Post Office. I would not be surprised to" see u,s within reach of l;0O0,000 meat coupons by the end of the week." The following are the detailed results of the 20 main districts, given in order of merit, the figures being compared proportionately with the population:—

Last week-the totals were 8,833 butter and 209,914 meat coupons.

THE FARMS' PART

GOVERNMENT NEGLECT (P.A.) CHIUSTCHUHCH, April 25. " The churches have been urging; the public to contribute food to relieve the world shortage, and the Government has approved of a scheme for voluntary contributions, but the farmers, who nan make the greatest contribution, have not been asked to help," said Mr G. C. Warren at a meeting of the executive of the North Canterbury district of Federated Farmers of ■' New Zealand s in Christcburch yesterday. Mr Warren,, who is chairman of the agricultural section of the organisation, said his section had collected data about wheat growing and had met United Wheatgrowers Ltd., who, in turn, had discussed the matter with the Wheat,Board, Certain decisions had been made, but lie was not free to disclose them. "The primary producers could make a wonderful contribution to relieve the shortage, but there are many things preventing the farmers from doing their duty to the starving peoples overseas," continued Mr Warren. " The Government should have called together the primary producers to find out how they could be helped so that they could make the maximum effort. If. the problem had been tackled in the right way, 1946-47 could have been the greatest of productive years. Now, however, it is rather late. The matte' is urgent, and we should hold a special meeting so that full consideration can be given to tbe problem and_the public can he acquainted with the difficulties facing primary producers." Mr A. M. Carpenter moved that a special meeting should be held next Wednesday and that members of the produce section should attend. "We understand that the Government is considering an extension of rationing," he said, " and as we represent the country people who are working w least six. days eaich week we should oppose any move to decrease the food allowed to N'r«- Zealanders and favour a scheme hv which more food can be produced for export. " While there is a grave shortage of wheat," he said. " it seems that we ore the bread out of the mouths of the starving Europeans by importing wheat for the manufacture of our own bread. But

the farmers cannot produce wheat he-e because of stabilisation and because the Government has allowed' other prices to soar." ) The Dominion council of the organisation had considered the matter, stated the president, Mr H. Grigg, and had suggested to the Government .that a conference "should he called of the Federated Fanners, the Federation of Labour, and other, interested parties, who could consider ways and means of increasing, the production of food. No reply had been given by the Government. An ameudment that ■ the matter should be left to the Dominion council was lost, Mr "Warren remarking that " nothing happened in Wellington, so the provinces should make a move." The motion that a special meeting should be held next Wednesday was then carried:

Butter Meat Coupons. Coupons Hamilton ... .., 840 33,334 liivercargill ... .. .151 11,702 Nelson ... 1,046 13,423 Wanganui ... ... S92 10,807 Chiistchurch , 1,132 28,167 Gisborno . ■ 6ft) 6,197 Timaru 520 5,238 Blenheim , 410 , -4,598 Whaiigarei ... .. 404 ' 3,877 Wellington ... .., 572 13,951 Dunedin 533 10u588 Napier ... 1 397 7,839 Auckland 516 9,410 Masterton ... .. .. 251 6.123 Palmerston North 297 , 5,007 Thames '..., 213 2.626 Oamaru 104 1,557 Greymouth ... .. .66 1,665 Westport ... ... 42 1.081 New Plymouth .. 35 . 3.004 Totals ... .. . 10.451 180.194