FOOR FOR BRITAIN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 73, 13 May 1946, Page 6

FOOR FOR BRITAIN

FARMERS WILL HELP “We must all be deeply concerned at the fact that after six grim years of war, and after very close rationing indeed throughout the whole of that period, the people of Britain today are if anything wrose off for food, than they were during the war years,” said Mr A. Linton, ActingChairman of the New Zealand Dairy Board, at the Ward Conference at Whakatane last Wednesday. This applies particularly to fats and makes it imperative for us to do everything we can to build up our production of dairy produce again. Total production of dairy produce depends on our total dairy cow population which was seriously reduced during the war years. Last year following on the drive for more food for Britain, there was a slight increase in the cow population, and we had hoped that this upward trend would continue for the next few seasons so that we could attain the percentage increases desired by Britain. Unfortunately the unprecedented drought suffered in northern districts will affect not only,this season’s output, but next year’s and the year after that. Moreover, there have been extra heavy cullings in drought stricken districts', and ; many cattle through lack of feed in the autumn, were sent to the freezing works. This means that the upward trend in cow population will be arrested in the meantime, so that even with the best of seasonal conditions next season, we cannot hope to achieve our previously hoped-for production. “Rationing in New Zealand is making available for Britain some thousands of tons of butter additional to what would otherwise be sent, and the present voluntary food

saving campaign will make some additional butter also available. However the better way would have been to secure increased production by a reduction of taxation, improved supply of fertilisers and increased attention to rural housing and farm labour difficulties.”