FOOD STORAGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23055, 4 June 1938, Page 13

FOOD STORAGE

EMERGENCY SUPPLIES BRITISH TRANSACTIONS FURTHER POWERS SOUGHT BILL BEFORE COMMONS By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright British Wireless RUGBY, June 2 The chief business in the House of Commons to-day was the Essential Commodities Reserves Bill, conferring important new powers on the Board of Trade and giving retrospective authority for purchases already made by the Government of wheat and whale oil for storage against a national emergency. In moving the second reading of the bill, Mr. Oliver Stanley, President of the Board of Trade, said there was no dispute as to the desirability of the Government being in a position to accumulate stocks of essential commodities for use in a possible emergency. The service Departments were already entitled to bear upon their 'totes an accumulation of reserves of petroleum or other minerals for their use, and the bill gave similar privileges to the Board of Trade in respect to com' modi ties for the civil population. Protecting Business Interests Food storage was essentially a de- ! fence question, and as such must in principle fall within the functions of Sir Thomas Inskip, Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence. However, toe Board of Trade obviously was more closely in touch with commercial interests and more conversant with the commercial methods which would have to be used in the execution of the Government's policy when once it had been decided upon. The schedule of tho bill provided for commodities which might be declared essential. They were limited to foodstuffs and forage for animals, fertilisers and petroleum. Further legislation would be necessary to add to the list. The reason why the Government had decided to confine the bill to the type of commodities absolutelj' certain to be required in an emergency was in order to minimise any disturbance which the taking of these unusual and important powers might exert upon normal business. Purchases Wow Completed Mr. Stanley gave the House some details of transactions already carried out. He added that no further purchase of any of these three commodities was contemplated at present. The aim of the food storage policy was precautionary and not preventive, and the proposals in the bill must be viewed in that perspective. It was impossible to make the country independent of outside supplies except for a short period, and the first line of defence against a shortage was to ensure the continued command of the sea. The bill was read a second time without division.