Would Welcome Butter Rationing -Appleton

Northern Advocate, 30 September 1943, Page 2

Would Welcome Butter Rationing -Appleton

Support for the rationing of butter in New Zealand with the object of making ! larger supplies available for the British | people has been expressed by dairy comj panies in North Auckland, stated Mr E. j G. Appleton, chairman of the Northern Wairoa Dairy Company, and chairman cf the Northern Dairy Association executive, yesterday. He said he believed the people of the Dominion would be pleased to make the sacrifice under rationing in order to maintain for the British people the small ration of two ounces a head weekly. Mr- Appleton recalled that at the conference of the National Dairy Federation at Palmerston North in June the Minister for Agriculture (Hon. J. G. Barclay) had been asked whether rationing was likely to be introduced. He had'replied that the Government had discussed the matter and called on the Health Department and others for reports, presumably as to the effect of any rationing, cn the health of the people. Mr Barclay Quoted A similar question had been put to the Minister when he spoke at Whangarei recently in the election campaign. He had replied that the British Government had asked for increased supplies of butter from New Zealand. The total quantity first mentioned was 120.000 tons for this season, but later 115,000 tons was named as the amount, said Mr Appleton. The Minister said the British Government had also mentioned the question of rationing I in New Zealand. | On the other hand, the Minister for Supply (Hon. D. G. Sullivan) had stated that the Government had not rej ceived any request from the British GovI eminent for rationing in the Dominion. | "I think= the people are entitled to know i the true position and if any request has, j been made by Britain for rationing they ’ should be told.” said Mr Appleton. At I the annual meeting of his dairy company : in July a resolution was passed urging the Government to make every endeavour to supply the quantity of butter asked for by Britain even if this necessitated rationing here. As chairman of the Northland Association he had arranged for the resolution to be circulated among member companies. Replies received, with one exception, were unanimously in favour of the resolution. Mr Appleton said he understood that both meat and butter were rationed in the United States and Australia. He believed that, if given the opportunity, the people cf New Zealand would not knowingly lag behind the peoples of these countries in contributing to the common cause.