FOOD SHORTAGE

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 September 1945, Page 5

FOOD SHORTAGE

STATISTICIANS’ CONFERENCE (Recd. 11 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 17. “There is insufficient food in the world to provide for some time rations on a scale any of them thoughtdesirable,” said the Food Minister (Sir Ben Smith) addressing the International Conference of Food Statisticians. He added that there had been an acute shortage of meat, fats and sugar. Only very limited supplies of cereals for animal foodstuffs would be available until next harvest in the Southern Hemisphere. “We are living at a critical time. The present need is for figures quickly as a guide to the immediate future.” Statisticians at the conference come from ten European nations and Canada and America. Russia sent an observer. FRENCH HOUSEWIVES. PARIS. September 16. “Protesting against the food shortage, about 1500 French housewives in Toulouse pillaged stores all day and carted off the booty,” says a correspondent of the Associated Press. “The women, according to the police, first raided the main market, carrying off 8000 fowls as a protest against the high prices. They then forced the manager of a large food store to sell out his stock without demanding ration tickets. The women later raided store alter store, carrying off 10,0001 b of food. Criminals are reported to have joined in with the housewives, and driven away stolen cars laden with looted supplies.”