BRITAIN'S FOOD SUPPLIES.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15486, 13 January 1916, Page 8

BRITAIN'S FOOD SUPPLIES.

EMPIRE MORE SELFSUPPORTING. NEW ZEALAND'S MAIN EXPORTS. (fp.om our own correspondent.) LONDON, December 7. The Dominions Royal Commission, under its term of reference, was charged, amongst other duties, with that of enquiring into the foot! and raw material requirements of the United Kingdom, and tho available sources of supplies. The Commissioners now issue their memorandum, which is made the more important by the reference to the part which the Dominions play in supplying some of the main requirements of the Mother Country. The investigation covers the period 1901-14, and deals with food, drink, and tobacco, raw materials, and certain semimanufactured article's.

As regards the share of the Dominions in supplying the requirements of the Mother Country, a general survey of the figures shows that there has been a decided tendency during recent years for the United Kingdom to draw an increasing proportion of its food supplies from sources within the Empire. In the case of raw materials, however, a similar tendency has not been apparent.

Dealing with the principal food Droducts, the memorandum shows that, while in foreign countries, both European and extra-European, the increase of wheat area is proceeding at practically the same rate as the increase of population, in the British EmpiVe the wheat area is developing far more vanidly, so that the Empire as a whole is becoming more self-supporting. The total production of wheat within the Enmire, which was 227,500,000 cwt in 1901, had risen to 399,700,000 cwt in 1911, .an increase of 75 per cent.. Between 1901-0-3 and 1911-13, the. proportion of our oversea, wheat supply imported from the Dominions rose from 29.4 to 49.4 per cent. MEAT AND BUTTER. As regards the meat supply, it was stated in evidence before the Commission on the Supply of Food and Material in Time of War. that during the period 1898 to 1902 the home production of meat was roughly 1,250,000 tons, or 55 per cent, of the 2,200,0U0 tons consumed. The .. Commissioners record as "an interesting geographical fact," the almost complete diversion of the source of the imported beef supplies of the United Kingdom from the Northern to the Southern Hemisphere, viz., from the United States of America to the Argentine Republic and Australia. ~ The deficiency in the homo supply is now made up almost entirely from the two latter countries. The imports of mutton also come exclusively from the Southern Hemisphere; New Zealand is a contributor, with Australia, and with the Argentine Republic, and is, in fact, the chief source of supply, though Australia has increased • its shipments, largely since 1901. On the question of future supplies, the Commission points out .that' the United States has now become an • importer, rather than an'exporter of beef, and its competition with the United Kingdom for supplies from the meat-producing countries of ■ the > Southern Hemisphere will in all probability increase. The recent tariff reductions in. the ;United States are likely to accentuate, thia competition - in the future.' A substantial increase in the numbers of live stock in the Argentine corroborates the indication given by the figures of recent : exports from that country,. that it is from South. America that the main overseas supplies of beef will come 7 n the future. The home supply of fresh fish, represented • by that. lauded on the coasts of the United Kingdom,'has shown a considerable increase from 15,900,000 cwt in 1901', to 24;657;000 cwt_m 1913. The imports during that period were small when compared with the home production. In 1907-08. (the only year for which figures are , available), the home production of butter was equivalent to 35 per ,cent. of the total. requirements. The imports come mainly frpin the Continent, of Europer—Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Russia, ' and Sweden, particularly from Denmark. . Canada . has practically ceased, to send butter to .the United Kingdom. Whereas in 1901 she sent us butter to the extent of 216;000 cwt, in 1913 the imports' from'. Canada, amounted- to less, than 10Q0 _cwt. The imports from Australia and New *Zea» land on the other hand.: have largely increased. In 1901-05 Australia contributed 6.9 per.centf of total imports, but .in 1911-13 this had increased to 16.4 per, cent.. Similarly, the imports from- New Zealand increased from 5.8 per cent, to 7- per cent. ' Figures are' given to show that since *1901 the United Kingdom's .proportionate production of some of the chief, articles of food (meat, wheat, etcO, remains substantially'constant. . OTHER PRODUCTS. Concerning coal, it is pointed out that-New Zealand has an. actual, reserve of 985,000,000 tons; and the valuable iron- ore deposits at Parapara, together with the ironsands on the »V est C oas t, are mentioned. Canada produces nickel, Australia, wolfram ore,.and New Zealand scheelite. but no separate tallies for imports of these products have vet been included "in the United Kingdom -trade returns. The Mother Country also calls upon New Zealand for wool, hemp, tallow, and undressed * U fn 1914 New Zealand sent 137,000 cwt of peas to England, mutton 2.4 million cwt,. our total imports being 5.2 million " cwt; rabbits 85,000 cwt, out of a total of 506,000 cwt; cheese, 742,000-cwt out of a total of 2,434,000 cwt; butter, 358,000 cwt out of a total of 3,984,000 cwt; wool, 185.000,0001b out of a total of 717,000,0.001b; hemp, 15,000 tons out of 31 total of 120,000 tons; sheepskins (woolled), 6.7 million lb out of a total of 71.4 million lb; sheepskins (pickled). 4.8 millions out. of ' a total of 6.4. millions; rabbit sldns, j 5 millions out $f a total of millions; | clover'and grass-seed, 13,000 cwt out of a total of 176,000 cwt.