FOOD SCARCER

Grey River Argus, 27 March 1943, Page 4

FOOD SCARCER

AUSTRALIA'S POSITION Wider Rationing Forecast BY PRIME MINISTER Special to N.Z. Press Assn.) (Rec. 9.15) SYDNEY, March 26. Wider food rationing m Australia has been forecast by the Prime Minister, Mr J. Curtin. He has stated that shortages may occur in meat, milk, vegetables, fruits, canned goods, jam, rice, dried fruits and fish. Some of these comnjodities are alret'dy scarce or are obtainable only at high prices, and Mr Curtin’s announcement has come as no surprise to Australians. ’ Difficulties of transport, manpower and the task of feeding a huge Army, are the main contributing factors. “Every citizen will face, gladly, the deprivations claused by this contingency,” says the “Sydney Telegraph." “Nor will the country suffer any great inconvenience- if everyone eats a little less. Most df us eat too much any way. In England, where food is normally less bountiful than here, and the average diet, therefore, is much stricter, rationing has raised the standard of health.” To organise Australia’s food resources steps are being taken to establish a Food Directorate as an executive of the Australian Food Conncil. Mr Curtin has declined to appoint ?>■ Food Minister, maintaining that the purpose of such a portfolio is already served by the Minister of Agriculture. , .. “Now that the full impact ot the Japanese war upon Australia’s food resources is being felt, the situation calls for the development of a comprehensive policy,” declared Mr Curtin. “This policy should be based upon the following considerations: “(1) The maintenance of exports to Britain on a reasonable level. This applies particularly, to meat and butter, for w'hich Britain has a very lowration. “(2) The rationing of food within Australia where necessary. A liberal ration could be allowed, as has been done with tea' and sugar. This rationing, eliminating extravagance and waste, and ensuring a fair share ot the available food to all, could he imposed without impairing the Health of the people. “(3) The stimulation of the production of certain essential foods, where demands for services are likely to create acute shortages for the civil’an population. “(4) Recognition of the fact that in war time, transport and labour resources will not permit of a scale of food consumption equal to that of peace time. Some economy in the consumption of certain foods is part ot the total war effort. , “(5) The 1 education of the consumers in food values, so that they will get. the best gut of the available food supplies. “The Government intends to supplement the existing production ot vegetables and other essential foods just as it was organised for the production of munitions and aerodromes,” added Mr Curtin. “There is. a great waste of food in ' Australia. ' Compared with other countries, the consumption of food is very high, but it is n 0 disgrace for any country to have to ration food in order to pursue a total war effort.” The food situation in Australia has been subject to considerable d’.scussion and Some controversy for many months. Some experts, notably a former Prime Minister, Dr Earle Page, has been pressing for the establishment of a Food Ministry to co-ordinate, production, distribution, rationing and diet planning. Co-or-dinated production, by which various areas of land produce crops for w'hich they are best suited and in proportions determined by Government authority, has proved remarkably successful in Canada, and the need for similar Australian planning is being emphasised. Education in scientifically planned diets is also seen as an indispensible part of food rationing.

“Finally, on a market where essential foods are scarce, there will have to be a rigid control of prices," says the “Sydney Telegraph.” “Otherwise profiteers will soon starve us to death.”