Mr. Nordmeyer Takes Mr. Holland To Task

Chronicle (Levin), 4 March 1949, Page 7

Mr. Nordmeyer Takes Mr. Holland To Task

WELLINGTON, March 3. "Tn his haste to discredit the G.overnent, Mr. Holland has ouce agam given ample scope to his imagination, ' said the Minister of Tndustries aird Commerce, ALr. Nordmeyer, tonigiu.. "Mr. Holland, in the statement iu\ made in Auckland, spoke of ratVoniug as though it applied. fully and compre 'hensively in this country instead of lightly and indeed meagrely, as is tiie true case. Surelv.M't- Holland must be avvare that rationing in New Zealand ! applies only to butter and to petrol The aid for Britain- national council estimates that through butter rationing in New Zealand, 14,000 tons of butter are saved for our friends in Britaiu. Wouid Mr." Holland' deny this to the British people? Would he also deny the United Kingdpm the present substantial saving in dollars which, as Mr. Holland must know, is the only reason for our continuing petrol rationing in this country? If that is Mr. Holland 's attitude — and I am sure it cannot be — it is as hard to understand as his expressed views on stablilisation. There is certainlv no doubt thnt we in. New Zealand have held prices -better '••tinui' has been done in any - other country,; Rationing and stabilisation were bot?h' primarily war-tinie measurey, the need, for which eonti'nued in soirie measure intp the imrnediate post-War pefiod. In some respects th'e' need -hhs graduallv ceased to exist and ko also in th'ose respects have the measures • themselves. First we dispensed with clothes rationing, then with the j . rationing of meat. evejiitual-ly as., eopditions penuit, . we shall dispense with what remains of war-time controls. The Government looks forward to that day with tiie same eagerness aS tio all New Zea-' landers, including Mr. Holland1."