N.Z. MEAT AND COAL

Grey River Argus, 25 February 1944, Page 3

N.Z. MEAT AND COAL

FEAR OF WINTER SHORTAGES. p.A. WELLINGTON, Feb. 24. The Executive of -the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, this week, discussed the coming rationing of meat. The opinion was expressed, that to be successful it must be fairly applied? If the question arose of an extra ration for workers in heavy industries it should be granted ° n Jy after thorough investigation. If the increases were given as the result or demands by strong unions the general public would resent what must appear as preferential treatment. The President (Mr. W. H. JTindle) said, to-day there was no extra meat ration in Britain where people were doing what was recognised as heavy work. They were given 12 ounces of cheese instead of the ordinary ration of three. The Executive resolved that the Associated Chambers be invited to call a conference of all business interests and- take steps to have the Government realise the gravity ot the situation which faces the country in the coming winter through the coal situation and to apply a remedy. Reference was made to the dismal position facing Wellington as a result of the strikes, stop-work meetings, go-slow tactics, and absenteeism prevalent on the coalfields, and the President said the policy of appeasement should be discarded. It had not produced more coal —and coal was what the people wanted.

NO SALE FOR GOOD JOINTS? SOUTHLAND BUTCHER’S OPINION. { P.A. INVERCARGILL, Feb. 24. After 28 years of business in Southland as a butcher; Mr James Holland is closing down his premises from next Tuesday, because of the system of meat rationing that takes effect from March 6. Mr Holland stated -to-day that the introduction of .a coupon of a monetary value of Is 9d would result in the cheapest meat being pushed on to the market and that the problem butchers would have to face up to was the sale of their higher-priced joints. The value of the coupon would not allow the public to purchase joints of really good quality, as they had done in the past. In the opinion of /Mr Holland there was not enough margain between the retail price and overhead costs to allow for 'any profit that would offset the worries and responsibilities .ahead of all butchers. Already there had been advice to housewives over the radio to purchase cheaper joints, and butchers in general were at a loss to know what was. going to happen to the better joints.

Australia’s Coal Control

Bl IL TO END DISPUTES. CANBERRA, Feb. 24. The interests of employers and employees would be subordinated to the vital need of increased production under the new Coal Bill, the Prime Minister (Mr. Curtin) told the Federal House of Representatives. The House is debating the measure. Mr. Curtin said that instead of working foi’ private owners, the miners would be working for the nation. The employer would operate his mine as the agent of the nation and would receive fair valuation for the coal produced. “Instead of constant disputation between the owner and the employee the nation now steps in,” said Mr. Curtin. “This is not because we want to destroy private enterprise, but because industrial disputes are denying , the nation the instruments of war. We have tried t.o avoid that responsibility; we hoped against hope that the employees would accept a trusteeship for the nation. But now the nation is going to cut a Gordian knot and get the coal it needs. The Prime Minister revealed that. production throughout Australia in 1942 was an all-time record of nearly 15,000,000 tons. New South Wales must supoly more than 80 per cent, of Australia’s coal requirements. The estimated capacity of the New South Wales mines was at least 13,500,000 tons, after allowing reasonable losses from all clauses.