YOUR RATION BOOK

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 41, 17 April 1942, Page 5

YOUR RATION BOOK

ITS PURPOSE AND CONDITIONS

To see Avhat sort of surprise Dan SulliAan had in store for us this time, aac toed the mark at the Post Office this morning and Avere duly issued Avitli our ration bo-ok, a real wonderful bit of goods, one Avhich must haA'e brought many a fresh grey hair to some harassed ci\'i! servant in "Wellington, and one Avhich will add Avrinkles to the brows of the already overworked Post Office staffs throughout the country. It's surprising how much the Post Office ligures in our liA'es. It registers us when Ave come into the Avorld and it keeps on registering us for one darn thing after another until they carry us out feet first. Still, like London, they can take it.

But tci return to Danny's book, tt starts off in very promising fashion Avith the title "Y cur Ration Book," followed by the surprising news, "Hoav to safeguard your food supply." On the inside cover are spaces for your name and address, \A'hile Page 1 is occupied Avith the conditions under which the book is issued. They make interesting reading. Number 1 is quite simple, stating that "To buy any commodity that is rationed you must register Avith a shop that sells that commodity." No comment necessary, Ave're not likely to< book up at a grocer's for a yard of lace. Number 2 gets right down to business. "Write 3 T our name and address in block letters on the counterfoil at the top of the pages of coupons." Condition number 3 tells you what to do. It reads: "Hoav to register with a shop. Take this book to the shops from which you mean to buy your rationed goods. The shopkeeper with AA'hom you arc registered for each cf these goods will Avrite his name and address on the counterfoil (which he Avill cut off and keep) and also in the appropriate space inside the front cover." Condition number 4 appears primarily to have been introduced for the purpose of stopping "sAvaps." It reads: "Every time you buy rationed goods you must hand your ratSoTi book in at the shop, and the shopkeeper Avifl cut off the correct coupons (you cannot use coupons which you yourself have cut off).

Number 5 seems to have been modelled on petrol coupons. "Coupons not used in the week for which they are intended cannot be used later. Cut them off and destroy them." Now you boarders, listen in to Number 6. "If you live in a hotel, boarding house, hostel or similar establishment for a period of seven or more consecutive days do not take your book to a shop yourself—hand it to the manager or whoever is responsible for the feeding arrangements; he or she will use the coupons and return the book to you when you leave." Number 7 concerns holidaymakers. "If you leave home temporarily and are unable toi obtain your supplies from the retailer with whom you are registered, take your ration book to the Post Office at your destination, where arrangements will be made for you to register with shops in the district for the duration of your stay." Nice of them to have inserted this clause. Aunt Minnie will now be able to spend her winter holidays with us—and bring her own rations. Tourists must study Number 8. :i lf you intend to leave New Zealand you must hand in your ration book to your Post Office avid obtain a receipt, which will be required before n permit to leave the country is issued." Very handy for Cabinet Ministers; they seem to be about the only ones able to leave the country. Number 9 looks as if it is; one which will concern most ctf us before many more ballots come out. "Persons joining His Majesty .Forces must surrender their ration books to the Navy, Army or Air Force authorities on entering camp. Even in death we are not forgotten for Number 10 says: "In the case of a death the deceased person's ration book must be handed to the Registrar of Birihs, Deaths and Marriages when registering the death." No chance with this one of willing a bit of extra mutton to the son and heir or a pound of bird seed per week to t'tc zoo. - And last but no: 'east we come to the penalties for misuse. "Any false statement, iivm of this book or breach of i !.<":• : -\slructions venders you liab'.r eavy penally." So glad they say what the penalty is MK-eU =■-. We liltf ! be kept Finally we • coup-.- ■ thcmselvi-s. f^U'(Cop.'.; ■_ : .

•vf these, lettered respectively S, 1\ H and O. . What the letters re-, "sent we ilon't know, and any- - 'v else's guess would be just as s as ours, so we> Avill leav(j i'fc % e evil day comes.