EVERYTHING SCARCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24859, 7 March 1942, Page 4

EVERYTHING SCARCE

SHOPPING IN BRITAIN SHORTAGES CHEERFULLY ACCEPTED " Sorry, but we have none in stock," is a reply to which shoppers in this country are becoming accustomed. If they find it irksome, they may console themselves with the knowledge that m Britain stocks of some articles which are purchased freely in New Zealand are non-existent or at least in much shorter supply. That the position there is much worse than is generally realised is indicated in a letter which a Dunedin resident has received from a friend in Bristol. "You cannot, without being here, have any idea of the shortage of everything except bread and potatoes," the letter states. "This applies to other goods as well as to foodstuffs. The shops are practically empty and will remain so until after the war is over. Starting this month (December), American tinned foods are to be on sale, but the amount you get is so smalLthat it:is hardly noticeable. For example, our month's ration of tinned goods is three small tins of salmon, or, as an alternative, one tin of a meat product lib in weight. So you see that ft is not going to help much. "Liquor is just as scarce," the letter adds. "Whisky is bringing £3 a bottle in the 'black market.' Our leading hotel here is comparable with the biggest in Wellington. Its daily sale of whisky is four bottles—that is in pegs —so you see that not many people are lucky. Beer is very scarce, too, and most hotels are open only three or four days in the week. To get tobacco of any sort you have to queue up. Tobacconists are open for only about an hour a day, and then they close, as they have nothing to sell. Matches are unobtainable except from your registered grocer, and wc get one box a week if he has them. We get only three eggs a month for the three of us (one each), and now only one pint of milk.a day for us all. We are going to miss this more than anything." Apparently with the thought, in mind that what he had said might seem to be in the nature of a complaint, the writer of the letter hastened to add: " With, all our shortages and trials and tribulations I would not change places with anyone in New Zealand." That was written before Japan entered the war.