BRITAIN'S FOOD

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 116, 23 November 1928, Page 10

BRITAIN'S FOOD

HOME AND IMPORTED GOVERNMENT CONTROL DEBATED BY LORDS' United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Australian Tress Association.—United Servlc*. (Received 23rd November, 2.30 p.m.) LONDON, 22nd November. In the House of Lords, Lord do la Warr moved in favour'of Government bulk purchases of wheat and meat in order to stabilise prices. Ho pointed ojt that 80 per cent, of Britain's consumption of wheat and 50 per cent, of her meat were imported, and these were the controlling factors in the prices of home-grown produce. ' Lord Porres moved an amendment objecting to the Government's entrance into commercial trading, which was against the public interest. Lord Bledisloe said that England had just had tho best harvest she had had for thirty years, but not a single crop showed a profit, except sugar beat, which was artificially supported by Government money. The solution of the problem lay in co-operation and credit facilities. He was sure (:that overseas producers would not be unfair competitors of their fellow farmers in Britain. Lord Stradbroke said that the Government was opposed to nationalisation. Most of the country's trade was •in foodstuffs, and wartime experience showed that food control was most costly. A very serious objection was that every price movement due to world conditions would have political reactions and political relations with the Dominions, arid, foreign countries would be involved. The Imperial Conference Committee reported, against the proposition. Both the amendment and the niotio" were withdrawn.