FOOD SITUATION IN

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 23013, 3 October 1944, Page 4

FOOD SITUATION IN

BELGIUM Official Statement

(N.Z.P.A.) WELLINGTON, Oct 2. The Consulate-General of Belgium in New Zealand makes the following official declaration:— ' . . “The New Zealand Press published recently certain statements emanating from certain journalists, conspicuous among whom figures an American, Mr Knickerbocker, who was at the tune correspondent in Brussels of the ‘Chicago Sun,’ to the effect that the French and Belgians as a whole were eating more and better food than tne British when the Allies invaded Europe. Mr Knickerbocker added to this false report the cruel and insulting query, ‘where are the shabby and downtrodden victims of the Germans? “The Belgian Government's reply is as follows: ‘The food situation is stin difficult in liberated Belgium (September 29. 1944). There has been no distribution of meat for four weeks, ine population obeyed the 8.8. C injunction to accumulate food stocks before the Allies arrived, but in the excitement of liberation pressed these on tne liberating troops, giving a deceptive impression of plenty. The posnion is critical in cities and industrial areas, but less serious in country districts. The Brussels newspaper ’Soir writes. ‘Our Allied friends should not juage the food situation by the meals sened to some of their officers in choice restaurants, which, doubtless, have some provisions left from the defunct black market. The population, generally, are having to tighten then belts as they have had to do throughout the war. To-day for most people the food supply is obviously deficient, and alldoctors are warning us of the dangei.