BRITISH CONTROL OF FOOD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16674, 19 October 1917, Page 4

BRITISH CONTROL OF FOOD.

In a ' statement concerning food j prices, J Mr. ' Lloyd ucorgo 'says. that already a good deal has beon accomplished by tho Ministry of Food in tho ''direction of keeping down prices and limiting profits. . In tho case of milk and potatoes the prices were fixed. not only for producers but for the middlemen and retailers., The Orders controlling those products have •, been criticised and the Seed Potatoes (Prices) Orders have been frequently evaded; but the general effoct of the Orders has been much to the advantage .of the consumer, without them, at least, prices must have been much less satisfactory to the consumer than they have been.! Tho prices of imported wheat and sugar were subject to regulation before the Ministry of Food was established. -Since then tho Ministry of Food has fixed maximum prices,: not only for homegrown wheat but for barley and oats. All speculation in grain has beon stopped. After cereals had been controlled,' beans and peas remained, and the speculators, evicted from other , markets, rushed into this ono. They.;. had a severe practical lesson from tho Food Controller. , Heavy losses were made by some firms,'and there is no doubt that the action taken had a deterrent effect 'on: speculation in the other markets. Tho wholesale prices of bacon, hams, cheese, butter and margarine are controlled through the produce exchanges. ; Tho authorised prices are revised fortnightly, and substantial reductions have been made. All, intor-trading ■ between members of tho produce .'exchanges has been prohibited; so that profiteering in the wholesale markets is stopped, -v The Meat (Sales)! Order, dated May 31,*j1917, lias stopped speculation in live, animals, arid limited the : profits .of wholesale butchers. So far, howevor, no step has been taken to limit tho profits; of stockraisers or retail traders. These two aspects of an exceedingly difficult problem have for a long : timo past engaged the earnest attention of the Ministry of Food.