FOOD FRONT EFFORT

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 188, 8 May 1944, Page 4

FOOD FRONT EFFORT

New Zealand Policy (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) LONDON, May 5. An assurance that if it lay within the power of New Zealand to increase her supplies of food to Britain it would be doue was given by Sir. Fraser at the Press conference. Drawing attention to the action of the New Zealand Dairy Council in. support of increased dairy production in order to help Britain. Mr. Fraser said: "I would like to underline this policy, which is also that of the New Zealand Government. The war in Europe is moving to its climax, and the war in the Fnrffic is steadily gaining in momentum. This new phase is marked by an urgent and increasing demand for our foodstuffs, partly for Britain and partly to meet the con-tinually-increasing American demands in the Pacific, and, of course, in time to met the needs of the liberated neoples of Europe. , . , “IJowever. we have already strained our manpower resources to the utmost to maintain our fighting forces both in the Pacific and in Europe, and have had no men to spare fpr this increased food production. We are therefore, on the advice of the combined chiefs of staff, making certain readjustments in part of those forces to get farmers back to the land and keep up the ontput of food.” He added that Now Zealand s war effort had cost her dear. Her casualties in proportion to population had been the highest among the United Nations, with the probable exception of Russia. Approximately one man out of every three of military age in New Zealand, regardless of his family obligations or occupation, had seen service overseas.