FOOD PRICES

Grey River Argus, 15 February 1915, Page 7

FOOD PRICES

DEBATE IN THE COMMONS. SPEECH BY THE PREMIER. fBY ELECTEIC TELEGRAPH— COPYEIGHT-J (Per United Press Association.) > LONDON, February 12 Rt. Hon. T. R. Ferens, member for Hull initiated a debate on food prices moving that the House regrets the rise in the price of necessaries of life and calls upon the Government to prevent this unfortunate consequence of the war Mr Asquith, in the course of his reply compared, the corresponding month of 1904 and showed that the price of wheat hud increased seventy-two per cent, and flour seventy-five, mean British six, foreign twelve, sugar seventy two, coal fifteen. The increases were due principally to the diminution in supplies and greater consumption rather than high freights, coupled in the case of wheat with New York and Chicago speculations. He refused to believe that any advantage would be secured by buying up the world's supply and commandeering homestocks. Mr A. Bonar Law agreed that we couldn't now attempt to control wheat though wg might adventagoously have bought large stocks on the outbreak of war. We also might have done some ti.ii'g at the snine time in regard sbipl>i*< ii' Mr. Asquith added that there was in, evidence of any aiiu.s-.il .short t.ge or meat supplies. The rise in the price was largely if not entirely, due to the increased consumption. The Army stocks of sugar in the hands of the Government were sufficient to last many months. So far as any change in price was likely in the next few weeks or months it would be down* ward. The situation respecting shipping was unprecedented. Germany and Austria-Hungary possessed fourteen per cent of merchant shipping of the world and that had disappeared from the seas. Another factor was that the Admiralty was employing for transports one tenth of the whole world's tonnage. . He had reason to believe that very shortly there would be an adaptation of the available ships to the routes that the trade necessitates which ought to relieve the situation. While he agreed that the rise in prices was imposing a severe burden on the consuming classes, and that the Gov eminent should do some thing to mitigate those hardships, we must all recognise the state of war and the safety of the . country demands sacrifices on the part of the working classes. While we should do everything to secure a free influx at reasonable prices of food and raw material we should not hesitate to face greater emergencies and the gigantic responsibility to make sacrifices which the patriotic public spirit dem and.