EGG INDUSTRY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 February 1943, Page 2

EGG INDUSTRY

MEETING OF PRODUCERS NECESSITY FOR HAVING FLOORS. SCHEME FULLY EXPLAINED. At a meeting of egg producers held at the Y.M.C.A. Rooms, Masterton, yesterday afternoon, the executive of the Egg Floor Advisory Committee was invited to attend to give a full explanation, of the necessity for having a floor, and of its organisation. Messrs R. H. Brewerton (chairman) and R. W. Kebbell (vice-chairman) of the Egg Advisory Committee put the position before the meeting. . It was explained that in certain centres there had been an acute shortage of eggs, this situation arising 'from the direct result of New Zealand carrying out her commitments to the war effort. The result had been that people living adjacent to these centres have had to be penalised with a very severe ration of eggs. The committee felt sure that,'those people residing in localities where eggs have been reasonably plentiful would not object to helping to adjust the distribution in a more equitable manner, the women of the Wairarapa at different meetings having expressed the desire to do this. It was stated that floors had been set up in Masterton and Carterton, with depots embracing the whole of the Wairarapa including Pahiatua. The Production Council was responsible for the organisation necessary for the smooth running of these floors, and the council had the advice of the Egg Advisory Committee, which had been set up for this purpose, and was composed of members of the producers, retailers and the Production Council. A strong plea was made for the co-opera-tion of producers and consumers to help in this very necessary patriotic war effort. It was stated that if this co-operation were given there was no reason why the channel through which the eggs would flow for distribution where they are most needed should not run smoothly, and with little inconvenience to the community, although it is regretted that the consumers will, until such time as the production of eggs is equal to the demand, have had their supply rationed, and probably at times severely rationed. If the producers on their part would send in every available egg as fresh as possible, and as often as possible, not holding them back hoping to get a better price next week, and the retailers and consumers on their part would remember, when they are unable to get as many eggs as they would like, that somebody else in greater need of eggs than themselves were receiving a fairer share than they had in the past, the floor will then be able to allow the largest possible ration of really fresh eggs. It was suggested that although the regulations allow a person to buy from the door of a producer, eggs for private use, both consumers and producers should discourage this to the greatest possible extent. It was stated that those people who were in the habit of buying eggs privately should think whenever they were purchasing more eggs than they would be allowed when buying from a retailer under the rationing, of the sick people and children in the cities of Auckland and Wellington, in the hospitals, and children’s homes, and of the visiting Allied forcecs, and New Zealand men in camp and overseas, who should come first in this distribution. After questions had been asked and answered, the following resolution was passed unanimously by the meeting:—“That this meeting, after hearing the importance of production and collection being maintained and increased, we offer our very best cooperation to this end, and also to deliver as many eggs as possible to the floor,’’