The Gisborne Herald. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE TIMES” GISBORNE, WEDNESDAY, MAR. 15, 1944. SCARCITY OF FISH

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21354, 15 March 1944, Page 2

The Gisborne Herald. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE TIMES” GISBORNE, WEDNESDAY, MAR. 15, 1944. SCARCITY OF FISH

Father Neptune is doubtless aware that there is no real scarcity of fish. Indeed, the waters of the Pacific Ocean’ around the coast of New Zealand carry a very large fish population, including a rich variety of edible types. Yet it appears to be a matter of extreme difficulty under present marketing conditions to effect the transfer from sea to household larder of a sufficient quantity of fish, at reasonable prices, to satisfy the human appetite for this tasty and nourishing article of diet. In other words, the scarcity of fish is manmade. Now that meat rationing has been introduced, possibly with severe gastronomic repercussions on some of the harder working sections of the community, there will be a stronger demand for fish than ever. But if the people are to get What they want in this respect they will have to reject any’ suggestion that they are prepared to tolerate indefinitely the existing methods of marketing and distribution. This quite unnecessary shortage of fish for the table is a Dominionwide problem, indicating a uniform system of control for'which the Government or Government officials are mainly responsible. The remedy therefore lies in strong and persistent representations to the ..Government that there should be a change in marketing policy with- a view to performing a function of which any selfrespecting, socialistically-inclined administration should be proud—that is, feeding the multitude. We hear a good deal these days about the lack of variety in the diet of the people in Britain and there is no reason to doubt the veracity of the statements made. The general wish of New Zealanders is that our British 'kinsfolk should be helped .to the maximum extent possible; It is obvious, however, that full justice cannot be done to this task until we first of all put our own larder in order. Although New, Zealand’s drift into rationing has been more gradual than in the case of Britain and some other countries, a lack of variety in diet is now becoming noticeable here. And if there were not so much muddling in marketing there would not be the same occasion for it. If the people of the Dominion were permitted to take fuller advantage of the good things that come out of the sea there might be more meat than ever to spare for Britain; at any rate, the meat rationing in this country would affect very few sections of the community. It may even be that, as far as fish is concerned, Britons are better off than we are—despite the hazards of trawling in the North Sea during wartime. Whatever the real situation may be, it is decidedly incongruous that in these waters, teeming with fish, a state of affairs should exist indicative of “poverty in the midst of plenty”—the very antithesis of the principles for which the present Government is supposed to stand.