BRITAIN’S FOOD SUPPLIES

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 271, 12 August 1938, Page 19

BRITAIN’S FOOD SUPPLIES

Safeguard Against War GOVERNMENT POWERS I'nr-reiii'liiiig p.-wel'S, etttlliliiig I lie Government Io 'niilbl up food suiqilies niiil war stocks, Ifir use in an omer-gon.-y, are given !•’ Hie Board of T-ade in n BUI presented to the House of I'ominons recently b.v Mr. Oliier Stanley. says Wilson Broadbent in the Rondon “Daily Mail."

Under these powers the board can ole tain large supplies, for storage, ol “food for man, feeding sluffs tor animals. fertilisers for the land, or petroleum and petroleum products,’ or any products which in the opinion ot the lumrd are "essential for the vital needs of the community in the event ol war.’ The board is given powers:— To subsidise rhe extension of stocks normally kept by private firms: To build special storage accommodation for stocks bought direct by the Government from public funds; To establish a fund to meet the cost of purchasing stores and warehousing them which will be maintained from time to time by Treasury grunts. The Bill also indemnities the Government in respect of its secret purchases of wheat, sugar, and whale oil, which were first revealed b.v Sir John Simon, Chancellor of the Exchequer, in his Budget speech. The Board of Trade is empowered to make a census and keep a register of all private accommodation available and of all essential stocks held by private traders. With this latter knowledge the Government will be able to decide when It is necessary to supplement normal supplies. Heavy penalties are provided in the Bill against those who refuse to cooperate with the Government in the cob lection of this information. Fines amounting to £5O for neglecting to make returns requested by the board rnay be imposed, while the penalty for false information may be a fine of £lOO or three months in. prison. All the information collected regarding food-stuffs and munition supplies will be kept secret, and the penalty for improper disclosure will be a flue of £5O, three months’ imprisonment, or both. Anv supplies bought by the G-overn-ment'will be held as a war reserve, and will not be disposed of in peace time until Parliament passes further legislation determining the manner in which such stocks shall be liquidated.