EGG SHORTAGE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20826, 3 July 1942, Page 2

EGG SHORTAGE

LIVELY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS IN HOUSE MINISTER EXPLAINS (P.R.) WELLINGTON, this day. “What is being done .to prevent the bootlegging of eggs in New Zealand?” asked Mr. J. A. Lee (Dem. Lab., Grey Lynn) in the House of Representatives yesterday, when the Internal Marketing Department’s vote was under discussion. “Can the Minister give us an account o'f what has happened to our eggs?” he continued. “Where are all .the eggs we can’t get.” Mr. J. O’Brien (Lab., Westland): They are probably producing chickens. Mr. Lee: We are not getting much poultry either. Every one wants an omelette. There are no eggs. Why? Mr. J. N. Massey (Nat.. Franklin) said that a few short years ago there were ample supplies of eggs in New Zealand. Now there was a shortage while prices had increased tremendously. A large number of poultry was being slaughtered every year. He asked what the Government proposed to do in the direction of making more feed available for poultry flocks. What commodity were we likely to be short of next? he asked Consumers were going short through no fault of their own, but, lie contended, as a result of .the- operations by the Marketing Departments. Replying, the Minister of Marketing, the Hon. J. G. Barclay, said that the shortage was due to large quantities of eggs, amounting to thousands of dozens, required for the armed forces beyond New Zealand and to supplies made to shipping visiting New Zealand from overseas. The personnel of .these ships could not get eggs on the other side of the world. Was New Zealand to deny these men eggs? Opposition members: No. No Eggs Out of Hat Mr. Barclay added that the position simply was that an extra and heavy demand for eggs for the armed forces had cpme during the off season. He believed that there had been a reduction in the production of eggs. This was due to the fact that there had been such a heavy call on man-power for the armed forces. Members should be reasonable. How much had the people of New Zealand been short of foodstuffs There was any amount of meat available. It was surely no great hardship to have meat instead of eggs for breakfast. “What is all this controversy about eggs for, anyway?” asked the Minister, amidst laughter. Mr. W. J. Broadfoot (Nat., Waitorno): Why don’t you stop it? Mr. Barclay said that they could not produce eggs out of the hat. If. as he had stated, it was necessary to supply visiting ships and the armed forces, he thought it was to the credit of the people of New Zealand if they went a ljttle short of eggs.