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Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 13, 11 October 1943, Page 4

The serious shortage of meat in Australian markets will, it Is predicted, lead to rationing in the course of the next few weeks. The position has been attributed by agricultural authorities chiefly to three factors, adverse weather conditions, lack of sufficient transport and inability to procure fertilizers. The Commonwealth Director-General of Agriculture stated recently that the lambing had been a comparative failure because of the disappointing rainfall, and he added that even supplies of the best grades of mutton were not sufficient. Inquiries had shown that beef animals ‘were more numerous than had been estimated, but the difficulty lay iu providing the transport so that the stock could be taken from areas where grazing was limited to the more favourable localities. It was admitted that the supply of pig meats fell far short of requirements. Three weeks ago Melbourne newspapers reported that some butchers had had o c their shops on occasion because of inability to procure supplies, and lack of transport had made it impossible to hold some of -the stock markets. Some form of rationing has been anticipated for a considerable time and apparently it will be in operation well before Christmas.