HOW THE HOUSEWIFE OF BRITAIN FACES UP TO PROBLEM OF FOOD

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 168, 23 July 1946, Page 5

HOW THE HOUSEWIFE OF BRITAIN FACES UP TO PROBLEM OF FOOD

COMPARISONS WITH NEW ZEALAND (From E. G. Webber, N.Z. Press Assn. Correspondent). Recd. 7 p.m. London. July 22. Though in both countries the range is much more restricted and the price considerably higher than pre-war, a comparison between the variety and goods offering in British and New Zealand provision shops, and also in their prices, does not reveal as marked differences as the discussion of the British rationing might lead New Zealanders to expect. It requires closer acquaintanceship with British shops and with the workings of the British rationing system to bring home the fact that almost all the goods which could relieve the tedium of the British diet require the surrender of so many “points,” that they can be bought only on a very limited scale, and cannot be accumulated.

With the British housewife things she can buy fall strictly into two categories—things for which she can afford the money and the things for which she can afford points. Strict rationing and price control keep the most essential items of the family larder within reach of most incomes, but whatever her income the housewife still gets only 24 points each four-week\y period for each person in her househSd.

These points must cover the purchase of all extras and unrationed goods, and when H is realised that a tin of golden syrup absorbs 16 points and a tin of New Zealand tongues 24, it can be understood the points must be very sparingly used. Mere comparisons, moreover, do not disclose the endless hours of queueing necessary to obtain anything at all from the grocer, the • butcher, fishSS? ger ’ J fruiterer °r greengrocer. IVLilk and bread are the only staple items of diet delivered in Britain loaay—everything else must be carried by the housewife and has been carried by her in the past years. Although these differences should be remembered, a comparison between British (London) and New Zealand prices, and between the range of. food available for larders in Britain and New Zealand to-day is interesting. Butter Prices

Butter in London is approximately the same price as in New Zealand, Is 6d per lb. Quantitatively, British housewives get considerably less butter than New Zealanders for their fats ration of seven ounces per person weekly, made up of butter, margarine and lard. The amounts of butter and margarine vary—one week two ounces of butter, four ounces of margarine and one of lard. The best brands of margarine, which are very edible, cost 9d per lb. The big difference is that in New Zealand it still is a -comparatively simple matter to obtain cooking fats, such as suet, and dripping, whereas in Britain the housewife obtains these only by surrendering points. Sugar Ration

The British sugar ration is the same as New Zealand—eight ounces weekly, but in Britain it is beet sugar, which has not the same sweetening qualities as cane. Many British lunch-ers-out —which in the cities means a large proportion of the population—use saccharine tablets to supplement the meagre sugar rations allowed them in cafes and restaurants. Saccharin costs lOd for a packet containing 100 tablets, each equivalent to a level teaspoonful of sugar in sweetening value. Jam, Marmalade Jam and marmalade are rationed to lib per person each four weeks, and anything extra must be bought on points. Jam, honey and marmalade all cost much the same here as in New Zealand, but under these conditions the British have less of them. Tea is both cheaper and more plentiful in Britain than it was in New Zealand .when I left it. The British tea ration averages 2i ounces per person weekly. Good quality tea costs Ss 6<l per lb, compared with 4s and more in New Zealand. Meat Ration The British meat ration is Is 2d per person weekly, compared with Is 6d in New Zealand, and even at present day prices the Is 2d here does not go as far as Is 6d in New Zealand. The only unrationed beat in Britain is kidneys, liver and sausages, but. distribution of liver and kidneys occurs very seldom and occasions prolonged queueing. Vegetables Sausages contain so much soya bean flour they would possibly be more correctly described as vegetables at the present time. Speaking about vegetables, it might be supposed

l they are cheaper in New Zealand Than in London, but this is not the case. At present tomatoes cost Is 6d in London and suburban shops, and (lettuces range from 4d to Bd, according to quality. New potatoes at present are 2d per lb.; cabbages, 6d to Is each, according to size; white turnips, 6d per lb; peas, 4d to 8d per lb. All these prices are much the same as those prevailing in New Zealand last summer. Fruit Prices

I Fruit, with file exception of cherj ries, is both scarce and dear in London this summer. When I arrived here in May single peaches were priced at 8s «d in West End shops, and grapes were selling at 63s per lb. Peaches are still 6d to Is each and grapes at 18s per lb. Nominally, there are controlled prices for all these fruits, but somehow one never seems to see them sold controlled. Egg Rationing The present allocation of Britain varies from one to three a person weekly. Although a great deal seems to depend upon the resources of one’s grocer in obtaining them, they cost at present 2d each. It is quite impossible to obtain eggs for preserving, but egg powder is promised in greater quantity now that the American loan is through. Bread, No Cakes The price of bread is very much the same as in New Zealand, but it is a different kind of bread. Nowadays white bread is unknown and an ordinary loaf is of a brownish colour, which has neither the appearance nor the nutritive value of the New Zealand loaf. In Britain at present there are no such, things as small cakes as the New Zealand housewife understands them. Icings and embellishments of that, type are rare and costly, and if jams or fillings are used they definitely are austerity. . Plenty Sweets I One definite advantage of the. British rationing slystem compared with j ■ the New Zealand “open market” is in' i the allocation of sweets. In Britain ! I every person is entitled to lib of sweets monthly. This prevents the chocolate counter rushes and other shock tactics which were in vogue in New Zealand a few months ago. There is a big range of sweets in most New Zealand shops, but rationing ensures a fair distribution. The | prices of sweets generally are a little less than i n New Zealand. Some Comparisons Other prices which do not. always ' come within the housewife’s purview, : but which, nevertheless, may be of' interest, are: Beer, Is 3d a pint (a j nint in Britain still means that); whis-' iky, Is 3d to 2s 6d a nip, according to i iwhether it is drunk in a pub or in ] [an expensive restaurant; cigarettes.! 12s 4d for 20 of the most popular, [brands. Both cigarettes and matches) • are in shorter supply in London than! [they were in New Zealand last sum-; . nier. Beer also is short, but whiskvi land spirits can bo obtained at alii [hotels. It is difficult to buy whiskvi ,hv the bottle on the open market, but .when it can be obtained it costs 25s j •Od. On the b’ack market it may) cost three times that.