Untitled

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 217, 9 June 1943, Page 4

Australians, with a butter ration of lOoz. weekly will be better off in that respect than the Canadians, who have been limited to Boz. for some time. Last winter the Canadian ration was reduced to one-third of a pound or a while in order that shipments to Great Britain might be maintained, but it has since been restored to Boz. Some meats are said to be in short supp.y in the Commonwealth, but here also, if rationing comes, the Australians will be following in the footsteps of the Canadians. Last month meat coupons were issued in Canada and each holder could use two per week. Meat supplies were divided into four groups. The first group, boneless meat, enabled a person to get 11b. of meat weekly, the' second Wb., the third Lib., and i fourth 211 b. Then on May 4, Canada commenced to observe every Tuest ay as a meatless day, and this, it was stated, would be “supplemented and broadened.” And the chief reason for these developments in Canada, as in Australia witli respect to butter, is not any acute local shortage but solely that exports to the Mother Country may be maintained. Britain has asked for 70,000 tons of butter from the Commonwealth, and production has fallen, owing to unsuitable weather conditions and labour shortage. In the nine months ended March 31 last the factory butter production in Australia uas 28,000 tans below the corresponding period of 1939-40. The estimated output for 1942-43 (170,000 tons) was said to lie the lowest for some Jems. is to ensure that 70,000 tons are exported, despite lower production, that has made rationing necessary.