BRITISH FARM POLICY

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23883, 27 February 1943, Page 5

BRITISH FARM POLICY

PROGRAMME FOR YEARS AFTER THE WAR (Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) LONDON. Feb. 2S. Lord Bledisloe and Lord Balfour of Burleigh are among the peers signing a report on a post-war agricultural policy for Great Britain. Lord de la Warr, discussing the report with Empire correspondents, said that it could be called the child of the Sydney Conference. He agreed that the “determined price” which Britain should be willing to pay for imports and the “stability” aimed at for home farmers compared with the guaranteed prices system adopted by Ne'w Zealand. Lord de la Warr said he thought there should be an international conference to decide the export quotas which exporting countries should be allowed to exceed only by international agreement. The way for such a conference might be paved before the end of the war.

There was, he said, a useful basis for the post-war machinery in the existing war-time systems. The.-.agricultural policy for Britain could be carried out only by systems of agreements with other countries or by closing the British market, but the latter was undesirable as it would only harm everybody. He thought that two: or three years would elapse before agriculture returned to more normal conditions in Europe and that the assisting controls in Britain would have to remain for some time.

There might be a danger of overproduction in overseas countries to meet the European position unless steps were taken to avoid it. The peers’ report has been published in the hope that it will influence public opinion on Government policy. Many farming and political bodies are discussing post-war, agriculture and an indication of the Government’s intentions will shortly be sought.

TRIBUTE TO MALTA FOOD HARDSHIPS LAST SUMMER (8.0. W.) RUGBY. Feb. 25. Lord Gort, in a tribute paid in London to Malta, disclosed that last summer the island was without light or power, because of lack of fuel. For the same reason there were difficulties with the communal feeding of the 15,000 to 20.000 people on poor relief. Fodder had to be reserved in large measure for horses, and consequently the famous Maltese supply of goats’ milk suffered. Lord Gort emphasised that all difficulties had been overcome, and there was no food hardship now. U.S. ARCHBISHOP IN ITALY (Rec. II p.m.) NEW YORK, Feb. 25, The Berne correspondent of the “New York Times” says well-informed circles assert that the Italian Government has notified the Vatican that Archbishop Spellman, of New York, would be permitted to pay a “courtesy visit” to war prisoners’ camps. The correspondent adds that this is the first lime an enemy prelate, other than a nuncio, has been given such permission.

BLACK MARKETS IN AMERICA

MANY PROSECUTIONS

(Rec. 11,10 p.m.) WASHINGTON. Feb. 25 The Director of the Office of Price Administration (Mr Prentice Brown) revealed that the current campaign against meat black markets had resuited in the indictment of 420 firms and individuals in New York and other large cities in three weeks. Many additional prosecutions were in preparation. Mr Brown said gaol sentences and not fines were necessary lo discourage black-marketing, but the chief weapon was wholehearted public refusal to patronise them.

The Secretary of Agriculture (Mr Claude R. Wickard) asserted that the food black markets were worse than the “spcak-easics” of the prohibition era, and represented a potential threat and one of the vilest war weapons. If food resources were wasted, it would prolong the war and might prevent a sound and lasting peace. He declared civilians would obtain an adequate diet under the present rationing programme, but must forgo lavish eating.