FOOD HOARDING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 September 1939, Page 6

FOOD HOARDING

FOOLISH AND UNPATRIOTIC PRACTICE CONDEMNED. MASTERTON GROCERS EXPRESS STRONG VIEWS. Very definite opinions about the foolishness and unpatriotic action of numbers of Masterton residents in hoarding food supplies were expressed by several Masterton grocers this morning. Since the declaration of war, business has been exceptionally brisk in grocery lines, and. in some cases stocks are temporarily exhausted. Practically all grocers have been compelled to adopt rationing. “People who hoard food under the present circumstances cannot claim to possess much patriotism, but some of them would be among the first to hand out white feathers,” observed one grocer, who condemned in the strongest terms the tendency at present in evidence to hoard food supplies. Another retailer said Government action should be taken immediately to check the practice, which, if continued, was likely to create a shortage to those who wanted legitimate supplies. The position in Masterton is that supplies of sugar, flour and tea are limited to specified amounts, such as 61b or 121 b of sugar, lib tea and Is worth of flour. Some grocers restrict customers’ orders to a fortnight's supply while others are nefi allowing more than one packet or one tin of a certain article to each customer. Goods which are placed under restriction include nuts, canned fruit, sago, rice, tapioca, macaroni, vermicelli, dried fruits, cornflour and caustic soda. One firm which has branches in practically every town in New Zealand has sent out a circular to the effect that it intended fully to co-oper-ate with the Government in the consideration of supplies. At present there was no shortage, but it was not considered right that some people who were able to lay in large supplies should do so to the detriment of others who might be prevented from obtaining their ordinary requirements. Other grocers were equally emphatic in condemning hoarding, and the views expressed about persons indulging in the practice were far from complimentary.