Visitor Predicts Rationing In United States

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 December 1947, Page 6

Visitor Predicts Rationing In United States

<P.A.) Auckland, Dec. 29. A prediction that rationing would be imposed in America in the near future was made by Mr. E. A. Clements, a former divisional manager for the Farmers' Trading Company, who returned in the Marine Phoenix afterspending a four-months’ holiday in the United States. He was accompanied by Mrs. Clements, who has been visiting their daughter, Mrs. Oscar Natzke, wife of a noted New Zealand bass singer in London. Everybody in America was expecting the prosperity balloon to burst, said Mr. Clements. He would not be a bit surprised to see rationing introduced to stop consumption and the inflation demand for goods at present was so enormous that manufacturers were not a bit interested in the export trade. Steel companies had orders for 12 months ahead. He had endeavoured to get fencing wire for the New Zealand Fencing Materials Federation, but the manufacturers would not accept an order without a priority from the New Zealand Government through Washington. "It will be a big crash when it does come because wages and prices have gone to such a height,” said Mr. Clements. “I am quite satisfied that we have got one of the finest countries in the world. We have inflation here, but it is nothing compared with that in the United States.” Mr. Clements said that Oscar Natzke had had a very successful season singing with the Covent Garden Opera. He had recently completed a tour of South Africa and was contemplating a visit to the United States. He hoped to make a tour of Australia later.