BRITISH RATIONS

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 53, Issue 32412, 27 March 1944, Page 7

BRITISH RATIONS

ENFORCED TO MINIMUM “PEOPLE ARE. NOT GRUMBLING” “From their four long years of experience the people of Britain know full well the inconvenience of rationing and appreciate what the people of New Zealand are doing in voluntarily undertaking to ration themselves in those articles of food which are produced here in abundance, so that rations in Britain may be maintained, ’ said Sir Harry Batterbee, High Commissioner for the United Kingdom, in a recent broadcast. “I am glad to have this opportunity to express to the people of New Zealand the appreciation and gratitude of the people of ft he United Kingdom. “I assure you that the food is wanted over there. You all know how England, to his parents, Mr and Mrs small the rations are in Britain and that nearly everything is rationed, but it will not bo possible to maintain oven the present rations unless New Zealand and Australia can keep up . supplies. If supplies fail, then either I civilian rations or the raitons of the I fighting services must be cut. , Scientific Scale I “The scale of the civilian rations

has been scientifically devised to provide just sufficient and only sufficient sustenance to maintain the health and vitality of the people. Indeed, so carefully has the scale been distributed that the health authorities tell us that the general health of the population of the British Isles has never been better.

“But, if the present scale of rations is reduced, then the effect on the nation’s health cannot but be most injurious. Moreover, even though there is enough food for health, don’t suppose that there is anything like as much as people want. You may be fit, but you’re hungry all the same. “The people of Britain don t like these small rations —of course they don’t—but they are not grumbling. Rationing is one of the civilian s con tributions to winning the war. and cheerfully accepted as such. Morei over, the rations are universally regarded as fair: all, rich and poor, have v to share and share alike.”