ENGLAND'S FOOD

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 158, 4 July 1917, Page 5

ENGLAND'S FOOD

PROFITEERING COMPLAINTS. LONDON, June 27. The newspapers arc more insistent in their demand that Lord Hhondda (Food Controller) should deal immediately with profiteers, especially in bread and meat. It is stated that the clearness of meat is due to the fact that it changes hands from lour to six times on the market, always profitably, before reaching the retailers. Butchers accuse farmers of greed and demand that the Cfovernment shall fix prices and restrict the time that meat is kept in cold store. A plague of caterpillars in the North of England is causing great devastation. Sheep huddl? in corners of the fields, terrified at the sight of the living grass. Farmers have l>oen compelled to move their sheep, as the best grass has been devoured. Strained relations have arisen between the agricultural committees and golf clubs on the subject of the land for foodgrowing. The Food Ministry has asked the county authorities to convoke a conference of golf club committees to consider the question. Owing to the import restrictions apples are now Od each. At a meeting yesterday of the Bedford Poor Law Guardians an increase in the death of aged paupers from dysentery was ascribed by some members to the use of war bread. MESSINES BATTLE. PRAISE FOR AUSTRALIANS. (Commonwealth Official Correspondent.) BRITISH HEADQUARTERS, June 17. General Sir Arthur Godley, commanding the New Z-.'aland Forces, addressing the Australian Division who took part in the first great battle at Messines, said that whole parts of it were subjected to what was probably the severest shell-fire in the whole battle. It fought admirably, every man knowing exactly what to do and determined to do it. * Its brigade fought as well as any that ever came from Australia. Other Australians fought as one would expect from men who broke into the Hindenburg line. The Division took, I believe, five German field guns. Other Australians took twelve field guns, one 4.2 howitzer, and one 5.0. BIDDING FOR MEXICO. RIVAL INFLUENCES AT WORK. VANCOUVER, June 26. ' Isew York newspapers are devoting much attention to the reports that Mexico is preparing to enter the war on the side of the Allies. A dispatch from Mexico City says: "Every possible pressuret including financial offers, has been brought lately by pro-Germans to stop the campaign for the severance of relations between Mexico and Germany. It is freely charged that pro-German papers are being furnished free with supplies of news print from the United States. It is known that part of a shipload of rolls of news print waa recently shipped from New York for free distribution, in exchange for pro-German support. A peculiar feature is that telegraphic news, written with the .apparent intention of injuring the United States, comes from New York, passing the censor without difficulty." PICKING UP MINES. SEW AMERICAN DEVICE. VANCOUVER, June 28. A device which is calculated to pick up mines in the path of liners is now being attached to vessels proceeding through the war zone. The device appeared on a vessel which arrived at an Atlantic port to-day. It is attached to the bows with an extending net a dozen feet ahead on either side of the ship, so that when a mine is struck it is either scooped up or explodes harmlessly. The ship on which the device is attached is making her first trip since April, because she then struck a mine. Since she has been in dry dock.

DICE OF THE GODS LOADED AGAINST GERMANY. NEW YORK, June 25. Baron Moncheur, the chief of the Belgian Mission, addressed the Senate today. The galleries w-ere crowded, and the distinguished Belgian was cheered as he recited the heroic defence of his countrymen in the early days of the waV. Baron Moncheur said: "Belgium shall rise. The long night of her weeping shall end. When man gambles with truth and honour, aa did (iermany in tearing up treaties, the dice of the gods are always loaded." HUN SPIES IN DENMARK. (Received 11.33 a.m.) COPKXHAGKX, July :;. Particulars regarding the dates of departure, routes, and destinations of Danish steamers were found on a German courier named Wilhelms. who was arrested in Christiania.— (A. and X.Z.) SHEARING AND HARVESTING. (By Tclegniiih.— Association.) WELLINGTON, thia day. A letter from the chairman of the National Efficiency Board to the. Technical School Board last night stated that a suggestion had been made that the school holidays be shortened in the spring and autumn, and correspondingly lengthened at midsummer, in order to enable senior pupils to undertake work in the country at shearing and harvesting seasons. The letter stated that it had been ascertained that the employment of senior girls was not approved by mistresses, and a suggestion relating to their employment in the country had, therefore, been dropped. Inquiries had shown that there was no need to alter the diites of the University and other examinations, or to interfere with the holiday arrangements, as in the case of older pupils they already had extended the midsummer holidays, while those in primary schools were hardly of age to he any use in the country. In the case of country schools, boys there were always well engaged in useful work. Replies to circulars issued by the Efficiency Board having shown that the scheme of utilising schoolboy labour was feasible, it only remained to make the necessary arrangements. It was decided to supply information to the Efficiency Board as to the number of iboys under the Board's control who arc suitable for county' work.