BRITAIN’S FOOD SUPPLIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 November 1943, Page 5

BRITAIN’S FOOD SUPPLIES

“DRAB DOMESTIC ROUTINE”

SYDNEY, Nov. 17

Mr. Bankes Amery, leader of the British Food Mission to Australia and New Zealand, broadcasting to-night, said that eating in Britain now was more of a necessary act than an art which gave pleasure. In a world which was producing less food than ever, it was impossible for Britain to feed soldiers and her civil population on the pre-war scale. The British ration was fourteen pence worth of meat, two ounces of butter, and three ounces of cheese per week. Consequently Britain was in danger unless supplies from Australia and New Zealand were fully kept up. “Britain knows that Australia an r ’ Nev/ Zealand are feeding troops and that they have great demands on their products,” he said, “but never-: theless, she is confident that all partners of the British Commonwealth, having already decided to sink or swim in this war, will see to it that, regardless of hardship, Britain’s meat and dairy produce rations arc maintained. Britain has agreed to provide the whole of the shipping required for the purpose.” Mr. Amery described how British housewives endeavoured to make the best of a drab domestic wartime routine, and told of incidents showing how Britain in the fifth war year was still keeping up her spirits. It was still one of the joys of social life in Britain to ask friends to have a meal at your home, but when rations were low, the invitations were worded rather differently from in normal times. One 3 man recently said to friends who met after a long separation: “How about bringing your wife* and some grub for supper at our place?”