WIDE POWERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 May 1942, Page 4

WIDE POWERS

RATIONING OF GOODS & SERVICES GIVEN TO AUSTRALIAN MINISTER. BRITISH SYSTEM FOLLOWED BROADLY. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.5 p.m.) CANBERRA, This Day. Powers to declare for rationing purposes any commodity or service in Australia are vested in the Customs Minister, Mr R. V. Keane, by regulations which have been gazetted. The only limitation is that the Minister cannot declare services supplied or carried on by the State unless the Gov- 1 eminent concerned agrees. The Chairman of the Rationing Commission, Mr A. W. Coles, announced that ration books would be introduced throughout Australia on June 13. This is nearly three weeks earlier than the date originally anticipated. Mr Coles said that, broadly speaking, the British system of rationing would be followed; but it would be adapted to Australian conditions. A coupon would be issued for the period of a year. Restrictions might be imposed to compel couponholders to spread their purchases over the year. The commission would decide how many coupons would be equivalent to each rationed article, but the classes of goods to be rationed would be decided by the Federal Government. The Tea Control Board has been given power to control coffee as well as tea and the board will take over the importation and distribution of coffee. This does not mean that coffee rationing has been introduced.