H—44

In the past year the rationing of butter was discontinued in the United States of America and Canada. It now remains only in New Zealand, Australia, and the "United Kingdom. (iv) Meat During the first half of the year the weekly ration was Is. 6d. per head, except for children under the age of five years, who received half of this. With the general increase in meat-prices at the end of September an appropriate adjustment was made to the value of meat coupons to provide the same weekly ration by weight. The value of this ration (2f lb.) now stands at Is. lid., and the change has been effected by increasing the value of the variable H coupons from 3d. to Bd. and the value of J coupons from 3d. to 6d. The replacement system of supplying meat to traders against coupons collected continued to give satisfaction. The quantity of meat withdrawn from civilian consumption during the year amounted to 29,000 tons. (v) Bacon and Ham The consumption of these goods is still restricted by means of a quota system applied to all licensed bacon-factories. (vi) Eggs The number of eggs coming forward for consumption in the main centres remained insufficient to meet the public demand. Although, generally speaking, there were enough eggs on the market for a month or so during the flush period late in 1947, local shortages developed earlier than usual, and by February, 1948, it was necessary to operate the priority system of rationing in many towns so as to give preference to the needs of children under the age of five years, expectant and nursing mothers, and persons requiring eggs in their diet for medical reasons. (vii) Clothing Clothes-rationing in New Zealand was discontinued on 30th November, 1947, after having operated for five and a half years. While at that date shortages had not been overcome in all lines, the scheme did achieve the main purpose of its introduction, which was to prevent the creation of acute shortages caused through panic buying and hoarding. (viii) Hosiery As was expected, the increased importations of hosiery made it unnecessary for rationing of these goods to be continued, and on Ist June, 1947, the X coupon system of selective rationing was cancelled and hosiery made available against clothing coupons. As the supply position continued to be buoyant, hosiery-rationing was discontinued concurrently with clothing-rationing on the 30th November, 1947. The scheme had operated continuously since 27th April, 1942, and Mad succeeded in ensuring equitable distribution of the reduced supplies of silk stockings available to meet women's needs in that period. (ix) Rehabilitation The allocation of special quotas to assist in the rehabilitation of returned service personnel continued on the basis of allowing a serviceman desiring to set up in business on his own account sufficient rationed goods to enable him to become firmly established.

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