BRITAIN'S FOOD SUPPLIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16592, 15 January 1916, Page 8

BRITAIN'S FOOD SUPPLIES

EMPIRE MORE SELF-SUPPORTING. NEW ZEALAND'S MAIN EXPORTS. (Fbom Ode Own Correspondent.) LONDON, December 7. The Dominions Royal Commission, under its term of reference, was charged, amongst other duties, with that of inquiring; into the food and raw material requirements of the United Kingdom and the available sources and supplies. The Commissioners have now issued their memorandum, wihch is made the more important by the references to the part which the dominions play in supplying some of the main requirements of the Mother Country. The investigation covers the period 1901-14, and deals with food, drink, and tobacco, raw materials, and certain semi-manufactured artioles. As regards the share of the dominions in supplying the requirements of the Mother Country, a general survey of the figures shows that there has been a derided tendency during recent years for the United Kingdom to draw an increasing proportion of its food supplies from sources within the Empire In the case of raw materials, however, a similar tendency has not been apparent. Dealing with the principal food products, the memorandum shows that, while in foreign countries, both European and extraEuropean, the increase of wheat area is proceeding at practically the same rate as the increase of population, in the British Empire the wheat area is u developing fax more rapidly, so that the Empire; as a whole, is becoming more self-supporting. The total production of wheat within the Empire, which was 227,500,000 c wt in 1901, had risen to 399,700,000cwt in 1911 —an increase of 75 per cent. Between 1901-05 and 1911-13, the proportion of oversea wheat supply imported from the dominions rose from 29.4 to 49.4 per cent. MEAT AND BUTTER. As regards the meat supply, it was stated in evidenoe before the Commission on the Supply of Food and Raw Material in Time of vVaj; that, during the period 1896 to 1902, the Home production of meat was, roughly, 1| million tons, or 55 per cent, of the Himillion tons consumed. The Commissioners record as "an interesting geographical iact" the almost complete diversion ot the souroe of the imported beef supplies of the United Kingdom from the northern to the southern hemisphere—viz., lrom the United States of America to the Argentine Republic and Australia. The deficiency in the Home supply is now made up almost entirely from the two latter countries. The imports of mutton also come exclusively from the southern hemisphere. New Zealand is a contributor with Australia and with the Argentine Republio, and is, in fact, the chief source of supply, though Australia has increased its shipments largely since 1901. On the question of future supplies, the Commission points out that the United States has now become an importer rather than an exporter of beef, and its competition with the United Kingdom for supplies from the meat-producing countries of the southern hemisphere will in all probability increase. The recent tariff reductions in the United States are likely to accentuate tliis competition in the future. A substantial increase in the numbers of livs stock in the Argentine corroborates the indication given by the figures of recent exports from that country, that it is from iSouth America that the main overseas supplies of beef will come in the futura 'I lie home supply of fresh fish, represented by_ that landed on the coaste of the United Kingdom, has shown a considerable increase from 15,900,000cwt in 1901 to 24,657,000cwt in 1913. The rmport3 that period were small when compared with the home production. In 1907-8 (the only year for which figures are available) the home production of butter wa6 equivalent to 35 per cent, of the total requirements. The imports nome mainly from the Continent of Europe—Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Russia, and Sweden, particularly from Denmark. Canada has practically ceased to send butter to the United Kingdom. Whereas in 1901 she sent lis butter to the extent of 216,000cwt, in 1913 the imports from Canada amounted to lees than lOOOcwt. The imports from Australia and New Zealand, on tho other hand, have largely increased. In 1901-5 Australia contributed 6.9 per cent, of total imports, but in 1911-13 this had increased to 16.4 per cent. Similarly, the imports from New Zealand increased from 5.8 per cent, to 7 per centFigures are given to show that since 1901 tho United Kingdom's proportionate production of some of the chief articles of food (meat, wheat, ■ etc.) remains substantially constant. OTHER PRODUCTS. . Concerning coal, it is pointed out that NonZealand has an actual reserve of 985,000,000 tons, and tho valuable iron ore deposits at Parapara, together with the iron sands on the West Coast, are mentioned. Canada: produces nickel, Australia wolfram ore, and New Zealand scheelite, but no separate tallies for imnorts of these products havo yet been included in the United Kingdom trade returns. The Mother Country also calls upon Now Zealand for wool, hemp, tallow, and undressed funs. In 1914 N"w Zealand sent 137.000ewt of peas to England, mutton 24 million ewts, our total imports being 5.2 million cwte: rabbits, 85 thousand cvrts. out of a total of 506,000r,wt,5: Cheese, 742.000cwts out of total of 2,434.000cwt: butter, 358.000cwt. out of a total of 3.984.000cwt; wool, 185.000.0C01b out of a total of 717,000,0001b: hemp, 15.000 tons out of a total of 120.000 tone; sheepskins (wooOed), 6.7 million lb, out of a total of 71.4 million lb; sheepskins (pickled). 4 8 millions out of a total 0f_6.4 millions; rabbitskins, 5 millions out of a total of 56 millions; clover and urass seed, 13.000cwt out of a total of 176,000cwt.