SHORTAGE OF EGGS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 July 1942, Page 3

SHORTAGE OF EGGS

POSITION IN DOMINION EXPLANATION BY MINISTER. “SQUEALING” CONDEMNED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. “I don’t think it is a good thing to hear all this squealing about the shortage of eggs when we have alternative food, such as beef and the best lamb, in abundance,” said the Minister of Marketing, Mr Barclay, with some warmth in. the House of Representatives last night, when replying to demands by Mr Massey (Opposition, Franklin) and Mr Lee (Democratic Labour, Grey Lynn) for an explanation of the egg position in the Dominion. The discussion arose during consideration of the Internal Marketing Department’s vote. “Will the Minister tell us what has happened to the eggs?” asked Mr Lee. “Where do they go? What is being done to catch up on the demand and check the bootlegging in eggs that is going on?” Mr Massey said that till recently there were plenty of eggs, but where had they gone? ‘Moreover, they were a terrible price. He wanted to know what the Government proposed to do to provide more wheat for the poultry xiocks Replying to both members, Mr Barclay said that there was a very great demand for eggs to meet the requirements of armed forces beyond New Zealand, involving many thousands ol dozens. It was also necessary to supply eggs to ships coming from overseas. Surely it would not be suggest ed that the personnel of those ships, who were unable to get eggs overseas, should be denied them when they visited New Zealand. Opposition members: “No.” The Minister said the position simply was that the extra demand for the troops had come during the off season. He believed there had been a reduction in egg production and that was due to many men engaged in poultry farming being called up for military service. He knew that the price of poultry feed [ was high, but it was due to the difficulty of getting supplies. Eggs went up to 6s 6d a dozen during the last war —very much higher than in this.