A YEAR'S RATIONING

Southland Times, Issue 18077, 2 May 1919, Page 3

A YEAR'S RATIONING

ANNIVERSARY OF BRITISH FOOD CONTROL. 3,000,000,000 CARDS, BOOKS AND LEAFLETS. It is a year to-day (says the London Times of February 25) since the London and Home Counties rationing scheme came into operation. Sugar had been rationed from December 31, 1917, but the introduction of meat and butter or margarine cards was generally regarded as marking the definite adoption by the Food* Controller of the rationing principle. The use of food cards was sanctioned with reluctance as a means to pul. an. end to the eveil of the street queues. In some quarters it was expected that rationing would lead to confusion without easing a difficult situation. We know now that the system, begun in London, extended on April 8 to the rest of the country, and gradually developed until control was secured over the consumption of all foods of which a scarcity arose, has worked with quite remarkable smoothness and success. The need for rationing is now disappearing, and alter the end of April only one or two articles will continue to be doled out on the basis of fixed weekly quantities. Busy housekeepers, however, will always remember that food cards and ration books, although they brought with them their own inconveniences, saved them time and hardship in making food purchases and ensured an equitable distribution of meat, butter, margarine, lard, and other articles which, without rationing, many people would have been unable to obtain. COUPONS HONOURED IN FULL.

The most remarkable justification of the food administration set up in Great Britain is that from the day rationing was introduced the coupons have been honoured in full. An argument often put forward against rationing was that food tickets did not guarantee food, and in Germany this undoubtedly was true, but in Britain there have been very few instances, and these of a temporary and strictly localised character, where retailers have been without sufficient supplies to provide the rationed requirements of their registered customers. To sugar, butter ,margarine, butchers’ meat, and bacon—foods first rationed — lard and jam were subsequently added, and in some cities tea and cheese have also been rationed locally. Bacon, pork, butcher’s offals, lard, and margarine are 'now ration free, and local control of the consumption of tea has also been withdrawn. Thejsugar ration has been increased, and in the case of the average family may be regarded as sufficient to meet normal demands. Butter, beef, mutton, and lamb will require controlled distribution for some time to come. ENORMOUS OUTPUT OF PRINTING. In one matter the critics of rationing spoke truly. They said it would involve an enormous volume of printing. The output of the printing branch of the Ministry of Food in 1918 amounted to nearly 3.000. documents. In connection with the original ration cards the total number of forms and cards printed was 84.000. For the first issue of ration books 40,000,000 books of eleven leaves for adults, 10,000,000 books of nine leaves for children, some 20,000,000 books of four leaves for persons entitled to supplementary rations on the ground of occupations, and 6,000,000 books for the use of soldiers and sailors on leave were prepared. It is stated that the materials used for this one Issue included 53,000 reams of paper, 33 tons of metal for type, and 4580 miles of wire for stitching the books. A second issue of ration books in November last year involved the printing of 33.000. adult books of thirteen leaves each, 6,000,000 books of eleven leaves each for children and about a million travellers’ books. The paper used weighed 1250 tons. Apart from the ration cards and books, leaflets and forms had to be circulated on an extensive scale. In one week, for instance, during the period of the early rationing scheme three documents sent out ran to ten, fifteen, and tw'enty million leaflets respectively. Fifteen million envelopes were manufactured to post books to the heads of households. In addition to this work directly associated with rationing, local food control committees are continuously circularised with statutory rules, orders, and instructions. HAVE YOU EVER SUFFERED THE AGONY OF NEURALGIA? There is no need to describe Neuralgia. Those who have endured its torments do not wish to recall it. Those who have never suffered could not understand. But this is unnecessary suffering. Neuralgia need not be endured. Dr Sheldon’s Magnetic Liniment has put an end to this martyrdom. Hub it on the forehead, back of the neck, on the gums. Dr Sheldon’s Magnetic Liniment smoothes out the pain, draws out the Neuralgia like a magnet. First, you enjoy the sensation of ease after pain, then refreshing sleep follows the relief. On awakening, you realise that Dr Sheldon’s Magnetic Liniment is your safeguard and refuge against future attacks. ' A 1/6 bottle of Dr Sheldon’s Magnetic Liniment will convince you that it will banish all pain, A 3/- bottle provides protection for all the family. Obtainable at William Lewis and Son.’s.