R.S.A. Urges Cut In New Zealand Ration To Help Britain

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 March 1947, Page 4

R.S.A. Urges Cut In New Zealand Ration To Help Britain

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, March 16. The New Zealand Returned Services’ Association has decided to urge the Government to reconsider reducing the Dominion’s meat and butter rations by at least ’one-half in order that the surplus provided may go to the alleviation of distress in Britain. A statement issued by the association says that its Dominion executive believes that the future welfare of our country is inevitably bound up with the present and future welfare of the British Isles. “We should show no hesitation in coming wholeheartedly with every available resource to the assistance of the Mothei’ Country in her period of economic emergency—an emergency probably more grave than at any period during the war. The executive believes the Government would have the unanimous backing of the 133,000 members of the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association in any emergency measures taken to restrict ourselves for the benefit of the people of the Mother, land. “The Government is therefore respectfully urged to reconsider drastic reduction of our own meat and butter rations in particular, in order that the surplus provided may go to the alleviation of distress in Great Britain. By a drastic reduction is meant a reduction to at least onehalf the present ration. “It is believed that with the lead given by returned servicemen, employees and employers concerned with the production, processing, and transport of the necessities of life would wholeheartedly support this great drive and ensure that the maximum quantity of urgentlyneeded foodstuffs would arrive in Britain with a minimum of delay. This policy was enunciated by the last Dominion council of the association. The Government is requested to give effect to it immediately for the reasons stated. “We owe the peace, safety, and security at present enjoyed P^ m_ arily to the people of Great Britain and their great war-time Prime Minister without thought for themselves. They supported him when he gave to our own division arms and equipment so badly needed at home in the hour of their direst stress. They denuded themselves for our benefit. , ~ “Let us, therefore, in the time of our comparative plenty, rise above any selfishness and pay back, in small measure though it may be, something of our debt to the people of Britain.”