FOOD SHORTAGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25180, 18 April 1945, Page 8

FOOD SHORTAGE

THIS YEAR'S OUTLOOK MAIN HARVESTS LOW MELBOURNE, April 13 There was not sufficient food in the world to feed everyone, and Governments were faced with the problem of keeping the world alive in 1945, the leader of the United Kingdom Food Mission, Mr W. Bankes Amery, said today. ; The acute food difficulties were due to labour shortage and climatic # conditions, he said. For the first time in history, New Zealand' was claiming imports from the United States. For the first time in history the .eastern Australian States were importing wheat from Western Australia because of the worst drought they had ever known. In Britain the sugar-beet crop would be down 10,000 tons, and potato-and wheat crops would be poor because so much had become water-sodden in the worst winter for half a century.. The American harvest had been low, and there was extra demand because of the Pacific war. There was a food shortage in the. rest of the world. Extra: shipping was.essential.to maintain distribution. - • '• '<->■'■'-.■?.'-;." - ■ ' >

Everything possible was being dope to ensure that there would be sufficient refrigerated space to lift supplies of meat available " from ; Australia as well as from-other; countries, All luxuries ha<3 been eliminated in Britain, Children, iiou r seven years old had never seen ;a banana, and. few had seen a lemon. Butter and meat rationing had been terribly severe. ! PARKS CONTROL | FUNCTION AT TOWN HALL Tributes to the work of the retiring superintendent of parks for the city of Auckland, Mr Ti S. Aldridge, were paid at a farewell function arranged by the horticultural community, which was held in the Town Hall concert chamber ;last night. The function was also arranged to tender a welcome to the new superintendent, Mr J. A. McPherson. The president of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Institute of Horticulture, Mr J. W. Kealy, presided, and there was a large attendance of members of horticultural and similar societies and City Council members and staff. Mr Aldridge had given the best years of his life to the beautification of Auckland, said Mr Kealy. The council's policy of establishing new parks and the need for providing more playing areas because of increased leisure time would give Mr McPherson plenty to do in the city. The speaker referred to Mr McPherson's achievements in Christchurch.

Other speakers were the Mayor, Mr J. A. C. Allum, the Minister of internal Affairs, Mr Parry, and the chairman of the City Council Parks Committee, Mr J. L. Coakley._ Mr Aldridge and Mr McPherson replied. A wallet containing a sum of money, a teaset and dinner set were presented to Mr and Mrs Aldridge by the staff of the parks and reserves department of the City Council, and a wristlet watch was presented to Mr Aldridge by the horticultural community, and certain business firms. VACANCIES AT KARAPIRO (0.C.) HAMILTON, Tuesday Owing to the unusual length of the dairying season, due to favourable conditions, fewer men have been released from farming than were expected and delay has occurred in filling many vacancies at the Karapiro hydro-electric works. PATRIOTIC FUNDS (0,C.) ROTORUA, Tuesday A delegation of the Rotorua Maori Patriotic Committee me| members of the Waikato County Council Patriotic Committee in Rotorua today to request a decrease of the Maori quot„a this year from £9OO to £SOO. It was agreed to set £GSO as the quota for the Maoris in the council's area. MILLION MILES TRAVELLED The Auckland Ped Cross Transport Corps reached its 1,000,000-mile mark this week. The corps was established in June, 1940, and began active operations six months later when it conveyed civilian cripples to hospital for treatment. Those activities ceased after a period as a result of the petrol licence for this work being withdrawn, said the centre commandant, Mr F. V. Home, yesterday. Since then the corps had been engaged almost entirely on the transportation of sick and wounded servicemen. The work was voluntary and the members provided their own uniforms and owned the cars they drove.