ENGLAND’S FOOD SITUATION

Hutt News, Volume XII, Issue 22, 10 November 1948, Page 9

ENGLAND’S FOOD SITUATION

Worse than during war

Although it is now three years since the end of a six-year Avar, the food situation in England Avas described as “worse than during the war,” by Miss F. A. Roberts, of Dunedin, who has recently returned from an eight-months’ stay in the United Kingdom.

‘Since she returned to Dunedin, Miss Roberts has received a letter from a friend in England, who says, “Since you left, conditions have steadily become worse.” Another letter contained the sentence: “Peace and plenty seem as far away as ever but we live in hope.” “Many people in New Zealand seem to have no idea that things are so bad in England,” Miss Roberts said. “During my stay_ the weekly ration of meat was only lib, but a friend who wrote to me a few weeks ago mentioned that this scanty allowance had been reduced to 11b a week. Sometimes it is possible to buy sausages and, rarely, a rabbit. Wealthy people may buy a chicken at 15s 6d or a guinea fowl at 21s as these dainties are not rationed. Fish is the great standby, but intending purchasers must be near a town in-which it is sold, and possibly, after waiting in a queue, the wouldbe buyer is told ‘sold out.’ “During the winter,” Miss Roberts added, “we were, allowed one fresh egg a month—a great treat. In April and May eggs were more plentifuUand we had three or four eggs stamped ‘new laid,’ but when I read ‘Canadian’ stamped on my breakfast egg I wondered.” The people used egg powder for puddings, and this was usually satisfactory, she said. Powder could also be used for the rare cake which could not often be made in a private house, owing to the extreme shortage of fat. Each person had 2oz of butter for a week, 4oz of margarine, and 2oz of a mysterious ‘cooking’ fat made from soya beans. There was little fat to spare .for cake or pastry. “In New Zealand we take an abundance of milk for granted—not so in England,” said Miss Roberts. “There, during the winter months, the allowance was 2 A pints a week for each member of the household, with a little extra for invalids and those over 70 years of age, if the milk was available. At the primary schools children were given milk to drink;

“Although there are also far from sufficient houses to cope with Britain’s 50,000,000 population, the people carry on. Many of the blitzed areas have been rebuilt,” Miss Roberts added, “and though life in England is grim, the English countryside and people remain the same.”