SAVING MEAT

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24878, 27 April 1944, Page 7

SAVING MEAT

THE USE OF COUPONS BRITAIN'S URGENT NEED A meat coupon given away means depriving someone in Britain of a meat meal, states the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board, in an appeal to fanners and vegetarians to keep out of circulation all meat coupons which are not used by themselves and their families. Every unused coupon in New Zealand, the board states, adds to the supply of meat which can be sent to Britain. Unless the supply from New Zealand and Australia is increased there is a danger of curtailment of the already meagre ration at Home. An increase in the Dominion's meat export to Britain was the principal subject of discussion at a conference last week between the board and its electoral committee of 25 delegates. The chairman of the board, Mr. I). Allan, who presided, said tliar, although farmers had responded well to the appeal for a greater volume of production, they had been handicapped by the weather. However, the position had improved during the past six weeks, and he believed the indications pointed to a prolonged season, during which it was hoped killings would to some extent make up for the present shortage. "It was the duty of every New Zealander," said Mr. Allan, "to help in supplementing the meat requirements of Britain. Farmers can help by producing more meat and consuming less; other people can help only by eating less meat. There is a big responsibility on the farming community. Even the small British ration of Is 2d worth of meat per head per week is threatened unless

the meat-producing countries can increase their volume of export to Britain. The cheese ration in Britain has just been reduced from 3oz. to 2oz. "The board is definitely opposed to the grading of meat for local consumption," stated Mr. Allan. "If the grading of meat for home consumption is continued, or worse still, extended, the result will be detrimental to the campaign for an increased exportation to the United Kingdom. The board has made repeated representations to the Government and the Food Controller along these lines, and its efforts have at least helped to prevent the extension of grading beyond Wellington." The conference, as representing the meat producers of New Zealand, passed a resolution giving an assurance that farmers of the Dominion would use their utmost efforts to increase meat production as far as possible. Mr. W. Bankes Amery, leader of the British Food Mission to New Zealand, who was present at the conference and gave important information on shipping and supply questions, said he would be delighted at once to cable to the British Food Ministry such a heartening resolution from so representative a gathering of New Zeal and _ farming interests. He said that Britain needed an extra 200,000 tons of meat this year over and above present export estimates from the various countries which ordinarily supply her with meat. GAOL FOR MAORI A term of three months' imprisonment was imposed by Mr. J. Morling, S.M., yesterday, on James Toko, a Maori labourer, aged 40 (Mr. Noble), who pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawfully wearing an Army uniform.