ELDERLY PEOPLE ARE HIT HARDEST IN BRITAIN

Chronicle (Levin), 3 January 1948, Page 4

ELDERLY PEOPLE ARE HIT HARDEST IN BRITAIN

Food Situstion As Seen By Rev.C. B. Stote-Blandy

Just back from a visit to Eng-. land, the -Rev. G. B. Stote-Blandy had some 'interesting comments to blake on •oonditions as he found them-today. He von'sMered those people with large families were bettef 'off under rafioniiTg, and that those hardest hit • were elderly bouplss Or those living alone. He said that he had .had plenty to eat, but the housewife's problem was getting what she wanted instead of taking what was handed out. Perseverance and stan#ng in uueues, Was nocessary in order to obtain ilittle luxuries. As long as one had the rnoney f o p'ay for it, no diMculty was experienced' in .getting couponless msals in restauranfs, he said. In fact there was mothing to stop a jperson Igettin'g six meals from different reStaurants ina day, Soap. and fats, Were, he considered, the most imIportant ueed in Britain today.. . In the majority of the hotels soap and towels were not provided. Mr. Stote-B'landy considered that. the sending of parcels 'had a maryeliotis' psychological value. People (got a "terrific Mc'k" out of receiving a parcel, and it rnade thern feel. that the Empire had not forgotten ithem. -Odd luxuries, such'-as dried fruits, were ulways welcome. lt was impossible for people to make their own. fruit cakes, and those who did usually had friends in South Africa. He added, however, that it was astonishlng the high *quality of fruit cake that could be bought in the 'ghops. . The lation books provided a rnajor headache, and it was hard for a visitor to work them out, -said Mr. Stote-Blandy. .It took hours to fathom out what they were all for. A Judge of the Supreme Court, on a visit from In•dia, had- commented that it had takeri him three days to work out the system of rationing, and he wondered how the average housewife managed. There was a strict clothing ration and sweets could be

had by the forfeiture of Hprsonal points, which c'ould be used when required. Thou'gh they- were rationed, he had been able to buy any amoun't of conf ectionery for ; his coupons. There were four dif ferent types Of valid bi'ead. ooupons | and tlus added to the confusing method of rationing. New Zealand troops had made a marvellous impression in Britain and he had often heard complimentary remarks passed about them from people who did not 1 know that he was a New Zealander, I said Mr. Stote-Blandy. They were considered to be the. best behaved and best mannered troops that had 'been in Britain. * By far the most complimentary remarks had been made by people who had worked m canteens. A terrific number of people were -anxious to settle in or visit New Zealand, he added. Mr. Stote-Blandy had left New Ze'aland with his wif e and child in Fehruary by the Waiwera, and re'turned this week by the Rimutaka. Most of their time was spent in visit ing relatives and renewing old friendships in his home locality of Dorset and Epsom. He Was surj prised at hfow-little changed he had J found the people and that part of ; jlEngiand, It had had its share of Ibonibing raids during the war and was inun'dated with Allied troops. Much of the bomb damage in Britain was cleaned up iiow, but he believed that half of the worries of the people today were due to the nervous tension they had experienced during the war. He did not oonsider that they ha'd quite recov•ered from the blitz. He had had a view of the Royal we'dding from Pall Mall, but it was hard to secure a position unless, as many had done, one took bedding along and slept on a chosen spot all night. However, he had had a few ;glimpses of the Royal couple over the heads of the crowd. Later, when the Princess was returning, he had

'obtained a better view,_ but the carriage was'then 'travelling at a f ast speed. Both looked very cheerful, he said. : The journey both to and t from Britain had been. very pleasant and they were supplied with an 'excfellent news service from Welliugton and London. A Christmas party had been held on board ship/with the traditional tree for the kiddies. When the ship was passing Pitcairn Island, the local chief magistrate and wireless operator had broadcast greetings to the Governor of Fiji, who was on board, and the passengers.- They had -aiso given an excellent talk on the island's life. Mr. Stote-Blandy has resumed his duties as vicar of St. Mary's Anglican' Church and will '■ conduct Sunday's servic.es. _ He was relieved during his absence" by Canon G. Y. Woodward, \