FOOD RATIONING SYSTEMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25851, 23 May 1945, Page 3

FOOD RATIONING SYSTEMS

Sir,—Over a week has now elapsed since Dr Muriel Bell delivered an instructive and thought-provoking lecture on food rationing systems before a large audience In the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall in Dunedin. At the conclusion of the meeting a resolution was passed approving of the reduction of meat and butter rations in New Zealand and urging the Government to put this into operation as soon as possible, so that extra supplies of these foodstuffs may be sent to Great Britain. In a community that prides itself on being as public-spirited as does Otago one would have supposed that this resolution would have met with great support from organisations as well as from private citizens for the need to send extra foodstuffs to Britain if she is to maintain her already very meagre rations of these two articles—meat and butter—has been put so clearly before us In the cabled statements from competent authorities at Home. It is disappointing that the ration reduction proposals have occasioned so little comment, and I would urge your readers to think unselfishly and to do all in their power to support the sending of extra meat and butter to Britain. New Zealand has made a great contribution to the fighting forces of the Empire, but she has been singularly fortunate—should I say almost too fortunate?—ln escaping all the rigours and horrors of years of air raids, flying bomb menaces, strict black-outs, severe and monotonous food rationing, and the sight of great influxes of refugees from stricken countries and great numbers of sick and wounded. If we had lived under even some of these conditions we would probably be more sympathetic to the needs of Great Britain, which has been called on so much to help starving Continental countries, as well as coping with' the feeding of her own increased populations during the war years. Australia has reduced her meat ration twice and her butter ration once. Surely we are willing to do at least as much in New Zealand to show our practical sympathy with the uncomplaining and longsuffering British public. As Dr Bell pointed out in her lecture, the rationing system in New Zealand would not be recognised as a system at all in many countries, because here we are able to enjoy freely many commodities that are either drastically rationed or are quite unobtainable in those lands—potatoes and milk are two examples. Trusting that many of your readers will take this matter up promptly,—l am, etc., \ E. G. Johnstone.

Sir,—Do your readers realise that, when they shudder to behold the atrocities of starvation wilfully perpetrated at Belsen concentration camp, they might easily be Viewing the same slow starvation suffered by our Allies in Holland and Belgium? Would they do nothing to alleviate this condition? And, if not, how are they any different from Nazi S.S. troops? Surely nobody could call himself a Christian who would net desire that our rations of meat and butter, still at levels of luxury consumption, should be reduced so that we might send food to alleviate the suffering of those who have been asked to starve as their price for this war. We in New Zealand would be asked merely to substitute less palatable articles of food for the meat and butter we enjoy. —I am, etc., Elaine R. Dunedin, May 21. „