THE ORANGE SHORTAGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23621, 3 April 1940, Page 12

THE ORANGE SHORTAGE

Sir, —The Government is doing its best to persuade mothers to have more children, hut when it withholds one of the habv's essential foods—oranges—i.s it any encouragement P • 1 have a baby and another young child, and for nearly a week 1 was unable, to procure any oranges at all for them. Orange juice is one of the essentials for a baby having scalded milk, and, not being able to eat a mixture of raw foods, and the older child was suffering from a heavy cold which would have been much relieved by oranges, as he fancied little food. We know that other foods yield vitamin G, for example, carrots, tomatoes and grapes; but it is much more difficult to extract the juice from these than from oranges. And even if a busy housewife manages this, the baby -will often not take it, being used to the one fruit.

My husband was able to procure some oranges on Monday, for which he paid 3d each. They have half the usual amount of juice, on account of the long storage, I suppose. In the meantime the baby has caught the older child's cold, which he would probably have escaped had he had his regular supply of orange juice. Harassed Mothku.