HOUSEWIVES’ BATTLE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21946, 14 February 1946, Page 6

HOUSEWIVES’ BATTLE

BID TO END ZONING DECISION BY CABINET (9 a.m.) SYDNEY. Feb. 14. Following continued protests by housewives and the recent revolt of the caucus, the State Cabinet has asked the Commonwealth for the immediate revoking of all the zoning regulations. There should be unrestricted deliveries of bread, milk and ice within a week. The Commonwealth Government was prepared to end zoning in all States las,t December, but the controls were continued in New South Wales at the request of the State Government, because of .the shortage of labour and transport. Early in January the Premier, Mr. W. J. McKell’s. direction that zoning should continue for six months evoked protests from housewives. The Housewives Association is now prepared to do battle against the rise of prices? which suppliers say is inevitable. A later message says that the housewives’ victory on the zoning question may not be complete, despite the State Cabinet’s decision to revoke the system. The milk carters are being instructed by the Milk and Ice Carters' Union not to serve outside their zones, pending a decision on the union’s policy. The secretary said to-day that employees who caused the disunity by engaging in throat-cutting competition or vendors who sought to take advantage of the situation might be declared black. The contentions that the end of zoning would result in higher prices show, signs of weakening. The ice vendors are satisfied with the present prices, the bakers are mostly content to leave the problem to the Government and the milk vendors are so far hesitant.