SHORT RATIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25054, 18 November 1944, Page 8

SHORT RATIONS

CHBISTMAB GROCERIES MANY ITEMS NOT AVAILABLE Christmas grocery lines are expected to bo in extremely short supply in Auckland this year, and the possibility of anyone being able to obtain one of the most popular items, a Christmas ham, is believed by a representative of one large establishment to be very remote. It was difficult enough for a householder to obtain a ham Inst year, but for sonic time there had been only a small allocation to grocers, and lie understood that no extra quantity would be available for the Christmas period. In view of the heavy demand tor cooked barn, ho thought it unlikely that grocers would allow any eustomeis a ham, or part of one, as this would necessarily mean that other eustomeis would be denied their supply of cooked ham. , , Although no stocks of canned fruits are hold by grocers, it is hoped that there will he a further release of supplies before Christmas. < There are believed to be reserve stocks in the Dominion, but these, it is thought, may be required for distribution to the armed forces, A shipment is expected 111 the New Year. Dried Fruits Outlook The outlook for dried fruits is poor, as Australia, the main source of supply, is unable to release certain lines. Dried apricots will be unprocurable from there, because the country s entire output has been taken for the armed forces. There has already been a fair distribution of raisins, currant? and sultanas, but there will be n0 further shipments before _ Christmas, Tlvose lines met with a brisk demand, and stocks are expected I" he exhausted in the near future The same position applies to prunes. Tho overseas price ot dates is about four times higher than the pre-war prices, so that quantities obtainable under import licences will be restricted. In any case, supplies will not arrive in time for Christmas. Small Supply of Muscatels Small quantities of muscatels were recently distributed to grocers, some oi whom, regarding them as a purely luxury line in demand at Christmas only have put them aside for sale later, Nuts, imitation crystallised cherries and preserved ginger will only be available from stocks held by grocers. No difficulty is foreseen in obtaining lemon peel, as no other fruit to mix with it has been available for some time, and consequently most grocers have stocks on hand. IMMIGRATION SCHEME AUSTRALIA PREPARING (Reed. 5.35 p.m.) CANBERRA, Nov. 17 An Australian immigration scheme was now being prepared by a Cabinet sub-committee, said the acting-Prime Minister, Mr Fordo, in the House of Representatives. Many thousands of war orphans in England and the Continent would be available for migration after the war, For adult migration from Britain a scheme would have to be developed to give reciprocal social bonefits. People who had qualified for social benefits in England would be unwilling to come to Australia unless they were eligible for social benefits here. Mr Forde said that housing and economic conditions might govern the extent of immigration after the war. The rehabilitation of service personnel would also affect Australia's capacity to take migrants. The Government had decided against the proposed Jewish settlement in the East Kimberleys. This action followed a recommendation of an inter-departmental committee 011 migration. The appointment of a chief migration officer is announced in the latest Commonwealth Gazette. His duties are stated officially as planning for the encouragement of migration to Australia and arranging for the reception and after-care of migrants. NEWSPRINT PROJECT AUSTRALIAN SUCCESS (Reed. 535 p.m.) SYDNEY, Nov. 17 The Australian Newsprint Mills Proprietary, Limited, produced 26,700 tons of newsprint at its Tasmanian plant in the year ended June 30 last. Announcing this at the annual meeting of shareholders, the chairman. Sir Keith Murdoch, said that at one stage the mills were producing more than half of Australia's newsprint consumption. This was when rationing was at its peak and newspapers were permitted to consume at the rate of only 48,000 tons a year The retiring director of the company. Mr W L. Fairfax, said that the Tasmanian newsprint industry,_ which had been started by the enterprise of many Australian newspapers, had saved the press during the most difficult part of the war from the fate of having to reduce their size to four daily, Experience in Britain had shown how detrimental to the war effort and to the interests of the people such greatly reduced newspapers had been. A dividend of 45 per cent was recommended. ALIENS IN BRITAIN RESTRICTIONS REMOVED LONDON, Nov. 1(1 Mr Herbert Morrison, Home Secretary, announced in the House of Commons that the orders prohibiting aliens entering or remaining in certain areas of Britain without police permits would bo revoked from Friday, ft was also proposed to revoke soon the Aliens' Movement Restriction Order, which imposes a curfew and prohibits aliens using vehicles without a permit. The majority of aliens have already received exemptions, but a new order will remove them from the small number who still remain subject to special restriction. A small number of people will remain subject to the Enemy Aliens Restriction Order. ANTI-BRITISH PAPER AUSTRALIAN EDITION CANBERRA, Nov. 17 Demands were made in the House of Representatives for the cancellation of permission for the Chicago Tribune to print a .South-west Pacific edition in Australia The Tribune, an anti-British newspaper, recently criticised Australia's war effort. Ministers declined to answer questions on the subject, asking for notice. Speakers referred to the Tribune as "this anti-British rag" and "this traitorous paper." The South-west Pacific edition, for which permission was granted after long delays, is intended for circulation only among tho United States Service personnel.