Food shortage

COLOGNE: In addition to the ordinary military duties concerned with demobilisation and the formation of strong points on the boundary of the neutral zone, our dwindling New Zealand division is mainly occupied with education and certain administrative duties. At present one of the main considerations is the supply of food to the civilian population. Our zone is mainly an industrial one, set in a district of moderate agriculture and pastoral capacity. Factories have had to dispense with thousands of

workmen owing to the scarcity of raw material and lack of markets. Burgomasters state that people in poor circumstances are suffering in health from want of nourishment. This number is over 10,000, and there are in addition 54,000 who are willing to pay for a grant of army rations, which equal one soldier’s ration to four people.

There are in addition 400 Allies and neutrals, mostly Italian, who need assistance in one of the subareas. There are 3000 children suffering from lack of proper nourishment. The position is complicated by hoarding, and what is known as the schleischsandel system, or sale of food by the hoarders to people who can afford to pay for it. In some parts the milch cows have been killed to supply meat. The situation as regards meat has, however, been somewhat relieved by the sale of our useless horses. The potato shortage is serious, and supplies will not last beyond the middle of next month.