May Not Be Able To Meet Sardine, Fruit Allocations

Northern Advocate, 23 May 1944, Page 3

May Not Be Able To Meet Sardine, Fruit Allocations

It is hoped by the retr.il trade in Whangarei to commence distribution of the issue of sardines and Australian tinned fruit towards the end of this week. Enquiries to-day indicates that this does not mean that each person will receive a tin of sardines and a tin of fruit.

The permits held by retailers allow for the issue of one tin of sardines to each two registrations and one tin of fruit to four. This means that each person registered for sugar with a retailer will, under the permit issued from Wellington, be entitled through the retailer to a quarter tin of fruit and a half tin of sardines. But that is not all the story. The Whangarei retailers received their permits from Wellington about the middle of last week and these permits went to the wholesaler for supply. The wholesaler just cannot, in the majority of cases, fulfil the permits; ho has not been issued with sufficient stock to do so.

So. coming back to the curtomer: instead of the quarter-tin of fruit and half-tin of sardines it might be a sixth tin of fruit and a third-tin of sardines. Hotels, Boarding-houses

No provision is made in the permits for issue to hotels and boarding-houses. The Food Controller in Wellington has made out the permits on the sugar registrations, whereas hotels and boarding-houses are not registered with retailers. They receive a permit from the local food controller for their sugar supplies. An enquiry from the local food controller brought forth the information that so far as his office was concerned there was a lack of information., His office had received no communication at all from Wellington over the fruit and sardine distribution.

Method of Distribution

Just what method is to be followed by the individual retailer to distribute his supplies rests with the retailer himself. In the case of some firms, a parcel is being made up for each registered family whiie in the case of others, a method of marking the ration book to show that a distribution has been made is to be adopted. Whangarei grocers interviewed state that so -far as they are concerned the distribution will be made strictly on registrations, no sardines or fruit beingsold over the counter in the normal course of trade. The distribution is officially expected to be completed by June 7.

Wholesalers approached state that they have not sufficient stocks to fulfill permits heid by their regular retail customers but that they are forwarding the sardines and fruit as permits come in. This position is stated to apply to Auckland wholesalers also. It is understood by Whangarei wholesalers that a meeting is being held in the course of a few days when it is expected that the whole position will be clarified. At present the position is obscure and has been made more so by semi-official statements in which it has been stated,that the sardines and fruit would be available at the beginning of this week and that a tin of each would be available to each registered customer. It is now about two years since any sardines were available to the trade in New Zealand, although small allocations of Australian fruit had been issued from time to time, the last being just prior to Christmas. Small quantities of New Zealand tinned fruit have been available periodically. ■