FOOD PRICES

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 May 1925, Page 5

FOOD PRICES

SUGGESTIONS TO CONTROL, COMMISSION’S REPORT. and N.Z. Cable Association.)f ' - ; LONDON, May 8. ' ( The Food Commission majority re-, port reedmniends the establishment of a iPerifianeiit Food Council to Maintain ■ continuing supervision over the staple food trades. “We have in View, ’the formation 'of a body combining representatives of the econdrriic, financial,' administrative aiid consuming interests, to ,act as niediatfir betweeq the producer, trader and consumer, reconciling for the common end, the interests which we do not regard as necessarily conflicting. The Cdinmission expresses the opinion that the Governinent may find it desirable to discuss with the Dominions the possibility of encouraging a flow of food from the Dominions to dome markets. .. ... .. . The Commission recommends that cold storage proprietors should be required to furnish statistics in connection with stocks of meht held. The Food Council should closely watch developments in the importation of meat from Argentina, since it may fie necessary for the Government to intervent by acquiring a'controlling interest in British Companies operating in the Argentina or; koine other way, if the supply, of chilled or frozen meat should- be dominated by adverse trading combinations. The Commission does not recommend State trading in wheat or meat. .

minority Recommendations. LONDON, May 8. Ryland’s minority report objects to the establishment of a Food Council, as a definite advance in the direction' if State, Socialism, imposing a heavy burden on the taxpayer,’ and entailing i serious risk of increasing the cost of the people’s food. Smith’s Minority ,Report , recommends the Government to assume open responsibility for' the supplies and prices of rood, and the centralisation of the import of wheat and flour in the hands of a statutory import board, acting on behal'f of the whole community, and a similar centralisation of meat, carrying out the recommendations of the Bridgeman and Macrosty committees in regard to public acquisition of freezing works in South America. h ,r Britain. The milling industry should be formed into a statutoi-y corporation, wherein the preseht mill held debentures, the Government holding the majority of -ordinary shares. Local Authorities should bo empowered to open municipal bread and meat shops, and require tire licensing of retailers in their areas.