A NEEDLESS SACRIFICE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3079, 9 May 1917, Page 6

A NEEDLESS SACRIFICE

An extraordinary admission of official ineptitude is disclosed- in acabled report to-day of a question in the House of Commons relating to the loss of a food ship that had arrived in England. This vessel reached port safely, but owing .to the lack .of unloadißg facilities was obliged to proceed to'another port to discharge her cargo. En route to the seconcl port she was torpedoed, and her cargo of foodstuffs lost. Tho statement by Sin Leo Chiozza Money, a member of tho War Trade Advisory Committee, that tho matter was a. serious one, and was receiving consideration, scorns to be a very feeble reply to siiß Frederick Banbury's pertinent question: "Does not tho Government consider the safe arrival of a food ship sufficiently important to provide facilities for vessels arriving in England?" In the face of the extreme gravity of the food crisis in Britain at the present time, it seems a ridiculous proceeding to send valuable food ships hawking their cargoes from port to port in search, of unloading facilities. Sir Leo Chiozza Monfas admission on this. matter is not calculated to inspire tho Empire's overseas food suppliers with confidence. We should liko to feel that effective measures were in operation for safeguarding; the arrival o£ these food ships, and though losses in tho present circumstances must be expected, there is bo excuse for such needless sacrifices as these. It is evident that there is still need for a vigorous shaking up in some of tho Government Departments in tho Mother Country which still cling to the old "go-slow" habits and fossilised methods.