LESS FRESH MEAT IN BRITAIN

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5310, 24 January 1947, Page 5

LESS FRESH MEAT IN BRITAIN

( Press Assn-

BREA'D MAY BE REDUCED \ NO hope of abolish1ng rationing for years

—Rec. 9.30 p.m.)

LONDON, Jan. 23. The Minister of Food, Mr. J. Strachey, has announced that the British meat ration fo'r 1947 would remain at 16d but the value of fresh meat in th^ woekly ration would be ls instead of 14d. The remainder of Ihe ration would consist of 4d worth of canned meat. Lord Henderson, spealcing for the Government during the House of I ords' debate oh Food said that the acute shortages in the world supply oi' majc-r foodstuffs would persist ihroughout the crop year of 1946--17 as, despite great improvements in the expected haiwests, the quantitics available in the International allocation, f'ell short of the claims ni'ule on them. TKe meat outlook threatened deterioration on 1946 mainly because of the decline in North American production. Europe's production of food had risen noticeably Hut the production «•!' grains potatces and sugar was only 75 per cent of the pre-war figure and meat only 55 per cent. Britain, despite International difficulties, had maintained a high consumption level in 1946 and for the first half of 1947 she could not be expected to exeeed that. There wras practically no hope of restoring the haco'n ration to three ounces in 1947 and it might even he diincult to maintain the two ounces ration. A reduction in the bread ration might yet be inescapahle. Lord CHerwell said that in the first peace year Britons had to eat less than in the last war year and now, halfway through, the second peace year and despite bumper harvests in practically every exporting country, they were told that they will have to put up with even more meagre rations. Lord de L'isle said that it seemed from Government statements that there was no hope 'of ending rationing for years.