Mayor Upholds Scheme For Increased Rationing

Chronicle (Levin), 20 March 1947, Page 5

Mayor Upholds Scheme For Increased Rationing

If " the Government f ailed to act pn the -smggestion of the N.Z.R.S.A., ;hen/ meetings should be held ^hroughout the country to stir up publie opinion so strongl# that it would be forced to take acticn, sqid ;he Mgypp, Mr. H. B. Burdekin, at Monday night's meeting of the Levin Borough Council. M'r. Burdekin was referring to the N.Z.R.S.A-'s reported decisipn to urge. the Government to reconsider reducing the Pominion's meat and butter ration's ,oy at least half in order that the mrplus may go to the alleviation of distress in Great Britain. ■ The dispatch of individual food/ parcels was of great assistance, said Mr. Burdekin, but this alope would not be suflicient. A far more drastic system of rationing w,as necessary in the Dominion. Tfie average thinking person could not fail to see the necessity of this. Britain's position was most urgent and some sacrifi.ee was nepessary on the part of every citizen, said Mr. Burdekin. By agreeing to a reduction in the present ration scale, the people of New Zealand would be making a marvelious gesture to the" people of Br-i-tqin. Lord Biedisloe had reGently described the position in Britain as •'worse than during the blitz." There was no fear of starvation, put the present low scale of rations would have a marked effect on production. "We in this town, as in every other part of New Zealand, have a duty to these people. ,Are we gPing to let them down?" "I believe we have a bigger duty !.n towns like Levin," was the comment of Cr. A. O. Powell, who added that being in the centre of a producing district the people here were considerably better off than lihose in larger towns. "We must give all the assistance we can, not because we have more than we need, but because the people of Britain have less than they need."