FOOD FOR BRITAIN

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 March 1944, Page 6

FOOD FOR BRITAIN

AUSTRALIAN CONTRIBUTION

(Rec. 12.10) CANBERRA, March 23. A petition urging that a 'larger proportion of Australian food should be sent to Great Britain has been presented in the Senate by the Leader of the Opposition (Senator McLeay). It was signed by 7000 South Austra- : lian electors and said: “We fear that' unless further food, particularly butter, is sent to the British people their physical and mental well-being will suffer and, with it, their power to resist the common enemy. We in Australia are consuming more food, particularly butter and meat, than is essential for the health of the community.” Senator McLeay urged a speedier release of manpower for the purpose of increasing Australian food production. The Minister of Customs (Senator. Keane) said- that the ration, for certain food commodities had Been fixed on the advice of nutrition experts after consideration of the availability of other, foods.. Self-denial of but-

ler and meat might lead to an increased demand for substitute foods such as milk, eggs, and fish, so increasing' the already serious problems involved in the supplv of those commodities. In the House of Representatives Sir Earle Rage suggested a plan to expand Australian dairying and prevent future milk rationing. He claimed that despite the substantial assistance already given by the Government the dairy industry was showing a loss of £80,000,000 yearly. He urged the introduction of a five or 10-year subsidy with provision for variation according to current costs. The Treasurer (Mr. Chifley) announced. that the Prices Commissioner (Professor Copland) had conferred with representatives of the dairying industry to find out what additional costs had accrued since the subsidy of £6,500.000 had been granted. POST-WAR RATIONING.

RUGBY, March 22. Asked in the Commons whether the speech delivered recently by the Minister of Food indicating that the rationing of food would continue for years after the war represented the

policy of the Government, Mr. Churchill replied that the full text of the Minister’s speech showed clearly that he was no advocate of rationing for rationing’s sake and, in particular, he was a firm believer in the fact that this country was down to the minimum ration which would enable us to realise our full effort in field and factory. It was obvious, said Mr. Churchill, that rationing would have to continue for some time after the end of the war.