NORWAY'S FOOD CRISIS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 160, 4 July 1918, Page 5

NORWAY'S FOOD CRISIS.

AMERICAN ASSISTANCE.' AVERTED.

America's agreement with Norway is. popular throughout the country, says the special correspondent of the New York Herald at Christiania, writing on May 17. In the opinion of well informed Norwegians it has saved the present Cabinet and averted the xvorri food crisis oyer known.to the country, which would have resulted in serious v riots. The Socialists, here, when the food crisis was discussed, declared they would rather fight starvation than si do against European Powers. When. I interviewed the food 'Minister, St nevoid Hansen, he said :—• Norway would have "experienced a terrible food crisis by ■'September had ;V n<-t been for ,fhe American, agreement. The Cabinet would linvo been forced io stuil further reduce- the minimum f(j"d ration until the harvest. .'-S!-i!-c&—■ .Tu-miaYy the consumption of fish . in Norway ■ ho? been ifnipled ' owning 'to the shortage of other foodstuffs.' '"'Hie supply of coffee, which is practically our national drink, could last only ar.r: til November.

'Hie- greatest difficulty caused bv 'thi? MooLnd'os is Lbfit, 'of -cattle feed,-\vlik;h reduced iho milk supply by half, iTinifcjug the coffee demand' more, 'imperative. The present, sugar ration k twopounds for five weeks.. Our only tea supply is forty-two tons, net, bought recently. The want of petroleum w, ©.special l'y keen for fisheries. The only petroleum, wo have is a four thousan.a ,ton> cargo from America. We. were compered to shut off even the .lighthouses. The fi?hermcin who [usx? moto.r'-hoats are- luho hardestt, hit by the petroleum shortage.' We lack potatoes, even ' for ' .see.du'ngpurposes. Owing to the of bread rations the consumption of potatoes has more than doubled, in ''ii.diisV trial centres. We are tilling'this year about" 250,000 more acres of potatoes than last year—a 10 per cent increaise; We were 'compelled to kill many horses for want of feed. Wc ' need badlty. more'agricultural machinery and tractors.

It is a common. m<i'puud.erstian<Kng - in. "America and England that our fliiinuaV crop of 300,000 ton** of .grain suffices for bread. These chiefly consist if oats •<rean\M. pus oR.i *.£9|Ji3q piiß. ;