BRITAIN’S FOOD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 February 1941, Page 9

BRITAIN’S FOOD

DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS

OPENED BY VISCOUNT BLEDISLOE.

RATIONING OF SOLDIERS AND CIVILIANS.

(British Official Wireless.l

RUGBY. February 18

A debate on the food situation was raised in the House of Lords by Lord Bledisloe. who asked if the Government was satisfied as to the prospective availability during the current year of all essential food in sufficient quantity to provide adequate rations for the civilian population, the fighting forces, and the indispensable Navy. A complaint that the ration for military trainees was at least 50 per cent, more nutritious than the civilians' ration, though in many instances they were doing less work, was made by Lord Bledisloe. He said that cheese was the chief substitute for meat, but farm workers who needed cheese were found taking a midday meal of bread and jam because cheese was unobtainable. The soldiers had four times as much bacon and ham as the civilians, three and a half times the amount of butchers’ meat, two and a half times the amount of butter and margarine, and over twice the amount of sugar and 30 per cent, more tea. These differences. he said, seemed improper if Britain wanted full value from the labour of the civilians.

Lord Addison, agreeing with Lord Bledisloe, declared: "When a soldier is on leave his meat ration keeps his family for a week. We want to feed the soldier generously, but in some instances the rations are excessive."

Lord Dawson expressed the view that there should be more near equitation by the food granted to the forces and to civilians, particularly as this was a totalitarian war. the first of its kind, in which civilians contributed a larger measure of fighting than ever before. He asked, therefore, for the resumption of the Army ration. Replying to the debate, the Minister of Food, Lord Woolton, referred to the submarine danger and remarked that the problem was to get the most essential foods into the country. So long as people knew the problem and knew that they were being handled impartially and with courage and foresight, they would face up to them.

He described the bread ration as | strong. Supplies were ample and the public substantially unchanged as comI pared with the pre-war period. AssistI ed by scientific advice he had been asI sured that there would be an adequate [ supply of white bread for those who, I some considered. were ill-advised enough to desire it. There would also, in the months to come, be fortified', bread, and in this the authorities were following the Americans, who were already engaged in this fortification of bread. For others there would be wholemeal bread in quantities to meet their needs. The greatest weakness was in the animal protein group—-bacon, eggs, cheese and meat. He did not disguise that he was greatly concerned about the shortage of some of these commoditions. particularly chpese. MEAT AND SHIPPING. Regarding moat, we had during the war. until the last few months, eaten probably a great deal more than was good for us. When the meat ration was 2s. 2d. a head the consumption was only Is. 9d. But meat was not the only food that was imported. 'Ehcrc were potatoes and other vegetables, oils and fats. A store of oils and fats had been built up on which wo could rely for a long time, and with the milk supply it would provide al! the energy food needed.

Regarding military rations, Lord Woolton said that representations to the miliary authorities on the lines suggested by Lord Dawson had meet with a cordial response, and it would not be long before something was done to meet the criticism so fairly made.