EMPHATIC PROTEST

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 74, 15 May 1946, Page 5

EMPHATIC PROTEST

SUGAR WASTAGE IN INTOXICANTS

C.0.R.5.0. BRANCH’S ACTION

The fact that owing to the 40-hour week, and the statutory Saturday half holiday more beer was being drunk in hotels than ever before, and that whilst thousands of tons of sugar were devoted to the manufacture of intoxicants housewives were being asked to save ration coupons for the purpose of conserving sugar for the benefit of starving millions in Europe, was the theme of a strong discussion at the meeting of the newlycreated Whakatane branch of C.0.R.5.0. last Monday.

It was pointed out that whilst the Government was prepared to sanction such wholesale wastage of sugar in the ever-increas-ing manufacture of beer, women and children suffered through shortened rationings The branch, it was claimed was not teetotal in its views, but was nevertheless firmly convinced that if the individual was expected to conserve, the same requisition should be made to apply to the proprietary breweries throughout New Zealand* The following motion was carried unanimously: ‘That this meeting of C.0.R.5.0. workers,, in the face of the wicked and senseless wastage of sugar in excessive manufacture of beer, at this time when it is urgently needed for the saving of lives overseas, refuses to solicit ration coupons from the already painstaking housewives of this district, in response to the Gov-ernment-sponsored appeal, and further urges upon the Government the need to forego a percentage of its revenue from this quarter in the interests of humanity at large. It therefore suggests that before individual housewives are asked to surrender their sugar coupons, the liquor trade interests be cut down accordingly from their present liberal allocation.

The meeting decided to send a copy of the motion to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Supply, C.0.R.5.0., and U.N.R.R.A. headquarters and to Mr W. Sullivan, M.P. for submission in the right quarters.