MORE CUTS LIKELY THIS YEAR

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21947, 15 February 1946, Page 3

MORE CUTS LIKELY THIS YEAR

COARSER BREAD; REDUCED FATS

EMPIRE’S RALLY TO HELP PRAISED

OPPOSITION’S ATTACK ON GOVERNMENT

(By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (10 0.m.) .. LONDON, Feb. 14. A warning that the British people might have to tighten their belts still further before, the year ended, was given by the Minister of Food, Sir Ben Smith, in the House of Commons to-day during the debate on the cuts in rations. Coarser grain may have to be used in bread and more cuts in the fat ration are likely. The world was short of 7,500,000 tons of wheat, the sugur supply was precarious and tea stocks were causing anxiety, he declared. He praised the rally of all parts of the Empire to the Mother Country, and also welcomed America’s declaration to assist. A shipload of wheat had been diverted to South Africa on his instructions, because he had been told that within a few weeks South Africa would be without grain. Britain could not be blamed for the world focd shortage, stated the acting Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Anthony Eden, but the Labour Government had been guilty of lack of co-operation, lack of foresight, and a lack of timely action. “This is a grave threat to the health of our already overstrained people,” Mr. Eden stated.