Food Or Money Gift To Britain?

Northern Advocate, 8 March 1947, Page 2

Food Or Money Gift To Britain?

(P.A.) WELLINGTON. This Day. ■'Mr Holland airily dismisses the ;;'ift as a book entry, but it is in fact toe most practicable and acceptable form of gift that can be made to the British people at the present tune." said the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser> when replying ro criticism about New Zealand’s gift of £10.000.000 sterling to Britain.

Mr Fraser said he regretted that the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Holland) had made the gift the subject of controversy.

The sum of money now made available to Britain meant that in. purchasing food from the Dominion the United Kingdom would not become indebted to that extent.

It was in fact a free gift of food and ether New Zeaiand commodities to the amount of £12,500,000.

Mr Fraser said that practically the whole of Now Zealand'si exportable surplus of meat and dairy produce was at present going to Britain, and it was physically impossible to send something in excess of 100 per cent. It was the prerogative of the Government to administer the country's affairs and in making administrative decisions it had acted in accordance with constitutional practice. VIEWS RE ITERATED ‘The Prime MinstePs allegation -that 1 have made a controversy of ti:e matter is absurd." said Mr Holland last night. Mr Fraser could say what he liked but the statement made about the reduction of £10,000,1)00 from the Dominion's sterling funds as a gift to Britain stood as an accurate statement of fact. Surely Mr Fraser did not claim to be the only one ta have an opinion as to the best form in which help could be given, said Mr Holland. No one would say that this country was incapable of a considerable increase in the production of the things that Britain needed most.

"ft is no good the Prime Minister tiying to make oul that I nnv opposed to helping Britain." Mr Holland said.

"He knows that is not so. and I made ihat clear in my statement, but I have said, and I still stay, that the most practical form of helping the people of Britain is to supply them with food, of which they are so perilously short. "The gift of money will not put an ounce of food in one person’s mouth."