IN BRITAIN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4054, 10 May 1917, Page 5

IN BRITAIN.

THE FOOD PROBLEM.

EXPLOITATION BY SPECULATORS.

» LONDON, May 9

In the House of Lords, Lord Devonport (Food Controller) stated that exploitation by unpatriotic speculators had caused a rise in food prices, but such exploitation would soon be difficult. . ' .

He instanced the case of a. cargo of beans, which, though unlikely to arrive for some weeks, had been sold and resold repeatedly in Mincing Lane, until the final price neared £90. He then told the speculators that this was intolerable, and bought the cargo at the original contract price.

Lord Devonport defended his department from charges of confusion and weakness, stating that he had always safeguarded the, interests of the poor. If the consumption of breadstuffs Was reduced, as the Government had. urged, and if the submarines did not exceed a reasonable limit, the likelihood was that they would reach the harvest with a fairly satisfactory balance,

It might be necessary, continued Lord Devonport, to reduce the importation of meat in favour of more urgent commodities. ■'Their herds were probably larger than ever, and there was little prospect of a meat shortage xif the consumption were kept within: reasonable limits..

The Government had decided to abolish meatlessi days, owing to the increased consumption of substitutes. Regarding compulsory rationing, Lord Devonport merely said that a scheme had been prepared.