BRITAIN'S FOOD

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24868, 14 April 1944, Page 2

BRITAIN'S FOOD

SERIOUS OUTLOOK THE DEPLETION OF SUPPLIES (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Thursday The serious effect of declining pr 0 _ duction in countries exporting food, to Britain was emphasised by Mr. \y Ba nkes Amery, leader of the British food mission, in a luncheon address ir. Wellington to-day. Britain, he said, could possibly stand a reduction in any one country, but when supplies from all were faffing as rapidly as at present the outlook was serious, especially as nutritional experts were agreed that the health, physique and morale of the people could not be maintained if supplies of meat or dairv produce were reduced. He felt sure that once the producers and consumers of New Zealand realised the position' every effort would be made to ensure an all-round improvement. Mr. Amery said that in the course oj his tour of New Zealand he got the impression that some people imagined that Britain was asking for more" and more foodstuffs. This was far from being the case, Britain would be satisfied if what she received approximated what she received from this country at the outbreak of the war The position was that Britain had a greater population to feed, after making allowance for the armed forces, than she had before the war, but the food supply was depleted by the cutting o fi of supplies from Denmark and Holland as well as a heavy reduction in imports from New Zealand and Australia. When shipping had been required to take troops round the Cape of Good Hope there had been more food than ships to take it, but the position was now reversed and there was definitely more shipping space than there was food to fill it. • "The future of food supplies for the 47,000,000 people, plus the soldiers, in the United Kingdom," said Mr. Arnerv, "is _ therefore one of increasing anxiety." MR. ERASER'S MISSION ARRIVAL IN AMERICA TALKS WITH SERVICE HEADS (Reed. 9.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, April Vl The New Zealand Legation announced to-day that the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Rt. Hon. p. Fraser, _ who is travelling to London" had arrived in San Francisco. The party included Mrs. Fraser, -Mr. A. D. Mcintosh, and the Hon. I) Wilson. Mr. Fraser will confer with Governi ment and military officials in Washington. He may attend the opening Ses- ; sions of the International Labour Office conference in Philadelphia before his departure for London. While in Hawaii on Monday Mr Fraser had talks with Admiral C. \f. Commander-in-Chief of the United States Pacific Fleet, LieutenantGeneral R. Richardson, commander of United States Army forces in the Central Pacific, and Vice-Admiral R. Ghormley, commander of the Hawaiian sea frontier and commandant of the 14th naval district. LOCAL AND GENERAL Returned Soldiers' Band When the attention of the Auckland executive was drawn to the fact that j the Newmarket branch of the Returned I Services Association now had its own i band, it was decided to invite the band I to participate in the opening ceremony | of the association's new clubrooms on Anzac Day. The hope was expressed | that as soon as possible after the end ■of the war the Auckland association ! would form a ba«d of ex-servicemen. Army Courses for Americans The two courses which are being arranged by the Northern Military District School of instruction for selectedpersonnel of the American Army division now training in New Zealand will start about April 19 and May 2. The courses will be similar to those given . other American soldiers in the past, and will be mainly concerned with mines and "booby traps." Both officers ! and other ranks will receive training | from the New Zealand instructors. | Hydro-Electric Proposal An inspection of Kyber Pass, in the upper reaches of the Tukituki River, in the Makaretu district, Central Hawke's Bay, has been made by Mr. G. P. Anderson, of the hydro-electricity branch of the Works Department. At the point- where the pass exists the cliffs are 100 ft. high and the river only 18ft. wide. A report will be submitted at an early date concerning the possibilities of supplementing the power supply system of the North Island from, this source. A Non-Parochial Army After experience of two wars, he fully approved the present arrangement whereby no units bearing the names of provinces existed in the Expeditionary Force, said Lieutenant- - Colonel F. W aite, D.5.0., National Patriotic Fund commissioner in the Middle East, in an address yesterday afternoon. No one was heard boasting that he belonged to Auckland, Canterbury or any other district, as in the last war. All soldiers were on the same footing as New Zealanders, and this was a good thing, as it encouraged the development of a national spirit. R.S.A. Conference Owing to the railway travel restrictions it is probable that- the Dominion conference of the New Zealand Returned Services Association, which would in the ordinary course of events be held in May, will be postponed. The Auckland executive last night decided to urge that it be held, if possible, in June, when the demand for accommodation on trains may be reduced. It was pointed out that only about 70 or 80 delegates would need to use the railways and, as they would come front many parts of the Dominion, the effecton railway passenger accommodation would not be great. Potato Plantings For the 1944-45 season the Department of Agriculture is asking New Zealand growers to plant 35.000 acres in potatoes, compared with the norma] average area over the seven years 1935 to 1942 of 20,000 acres. Last year the objective was 30,000 acres, and it is estimated that 27,000 acres were planted, 20,000 in the South Island and 7000 in the North. Crops generally are good, but it is believed that all the potatoes available will be tised. Need for care in harvesting to avoid undue wastage was stressed by an officer of the department. A fairly large proportion of crops was damaged in digging, he said. Centennial Park Board Approval of the representatives of a number of additional bodies being members of the Auckland Centennial Memorial Park Board was expressed by the Auckland Suburban Local Bodies' Association at a meeting last night. The approved bodies included the Auckland Institute and Museum. Auckland university College and the Royal New Zealand Institute of Agriculture. A resolution expressing the association s view that a case had been made out for these and similar bodies to be represented was passed, with the provision that if they were represented they should not- be allowed to vote on financial matters. Maori Centenarian ~ . A Maori, Te Muranui Rangihauta, who is being cared for at the re 1° " hitanga Tautoru Society's S ' New Plymouth, is at least 100 7 e , old. Te Muranui says he ts 10®! . . there are no means of checking claim. He is a first cousin of the ..laorj prophet Te Whiti Orongomai, who diea at Parihaka in November, 190/. w lib was 90 years old. Te M" ranl " mother, Hautangata. was a sister ot» • VVhiti's mother and it is consi that lie is at least 100. Te Mur*n«: » in good health, usually does his ping himself, and takes a keen m . in current affairs, particularly tn« concerning his own-people.