WAR ECONOMY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17328, 17 November 1916, Page 5

WAR ECONOMY.

BRITAIN ORGANISING. MOBILISATION OF EFFORT. FOOD CONTROLLER TO BE . APPOINTED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received November 16, 7.10 p.m.) LONDON, November 15. In the House of Commons Mr W. A. S. Hewins moved that it was the Government's duty to adopt further methods of organisation to increase the national food supply and so diminish the risk of shortage in the event of the war being prolonged. He stated that Britain was faced with a permanent increase of prices, which would last for many years. The problem primarily was one of production. Britain should adopt a national agriculture policy.

Mr Runcinian said that the strain the country would have to bear in 1917 primarily on food supplies, tragic as it might be, it would be more severe in Austro-Germany. He declared that it was unnecessary to stimulate the production of wheat, in Canada an'd Australia. Canada's crop was abundant and the transport would be easy. Next year Britain would have j to depend on Australian supplies. The fact that Britain had commandeered a largo fleet at artificial rates had eased the problem of transport and had also encouraged Australian production. The food problem was shared with France and Italy, whose Governments regarded the whole sliipment of wheat for the Allies as one problem to be dealt with by one requisitioned fleet. He expected that the half-year's production in shipping would approach 500,000 tons and was arranging for pooling the engineering effort of the Tyne and elsewhere. The Government was bringing back hundreds of skilled workers from the front. In a normal year Britain could build practically the whole tonnage lost since the war began. Germany iknew thaJt Britain chartered neutrals' ships, hence the submarine warfare. The Government was taking powers to prevent undue profits to potato growers and milk sellers. It was necessary to dispense with some forms of food, especially elaborate confectionery. A food controller would bo necessary to co-ordin-ate the activities, and powers would be taken to prescribe the purposes for which articles. should be used and to prosecute persons wasting or destroying food. If a voluntary effort for economy failed, drastic measures would be necessary. He proposed to prohibit the milling of fine white flour, thus raising the yield by 8J per cent. The Government was taking powers to regulate tho market to prevent cornerin" 1 , and to deal with the sale and distribution of articles in order to be in a position to act immediately. lithe necessity arose * the Government would use food tickets. He did not propose to fix minimum prices, but asked for power to fix fair prices. Ho had been told that the country wanted to be governed and he asked the House, to give the Cabinet power to govern. ' , ' . Sir Edward Carson said that the House exnected more drastic proposals. The country should be told that tho difficulties were due to the reduction of tonnage by submarines rather than to illegitimate profits. He hoped that the food controller would be a dictator with power to snub departments if thev failed to do what he required. Mr G. J. Wardle, on behalf of Labour, welcomed the proposals. He expressed the opinion that the country's resources ought to have been organised at the outbreak of war. He expected that Mr Runciman would have to go yet further in this direction. .. Mr Runciman explained that a Bill would be passed at the earliest moment embodving the Government proposals. Some would sbe immediately practicable under the existing powers, notably tho proposals relating to milk contracts, potatoes, stocks of flour for milling. Tho Food Controller would be appointed immediately a suitable man was found. He would have drastic powers. The Board of Trade regarded him as the most essential man of the Empire. Demonstrating the necessity to treat the big ship building centres as one concern, Mr Runciman instanced tho point that sixteen vessels at the Wearside yards wore awaiting engines. They had arranged to concentrate on the most advanced vessels and hoped at the end of the year thait no vessels would lie half finished. Mr Runciman said that he regarded new construction aa the most, important "part of tho shipping problem. There was a .temporary meat but

he hoped "that as a result of the Munition Ministry'a action that there would be ample supplies in the new year.