BUTTER AND TEA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27390, 16 May 1950, Page 5

BUTTER AND TEA

Rationing In Australia EARLY ABOLITION INDICATED N ZP A—Copyright CANBERRA, May 15. The Minister of Trade and Customs, Mr N. O’Sullivan, announced that butter and tea rationing coupons which became current today would be valid for eight weeks instead of four, and that with the exception of eight tea coupons, all would have double their normal value. Wholesale tea and butter merchants suggest that this move is probably the forerunner to the early abolition of rationing. Interviewed later, after he had flown to Brisbane, Mr O'Sullivan said: “ I would be amazed and most disappointed if tea and butter rationing were necessary next year.” He added that there would be no alteration in the method of using coupons, and that people would be able to obtain their butter and tea any time within the eight-week period. Normally, butter coupons are for Jib and tea coupons for 2oz. It is believed that the abolition of butter rationing would increase consumption by 20,000 tons a year and cost the export market £6.000,000. The ending of butter rationing has been recommended by the Australian Dairy Board. Commonwealth figures indicate that every man, woman and child in Australia is consuming about' 2oz less butter per week than in pre-war years, when the yearly consumption per head of the population was 301 b.