THE FOOD SHORTAGE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3336, 20 February 1918, Page 16

THE FOOD SHORTAGE.

The week's meat supplies at Smithfield market were equal to a supply oJE lib per head for London. The Press Bureau states that the meat rationing scheme announced by the Food Controller on February 8 authorising the weekly issue of meat cards containing four coupons, each of which later permits the holder to purchase 5d worth of uncooked meat—is to be made to apply throughout the whole of Britain as from March 25. Nearly every hospital in London is benefiting by householders being warned to break up their food hoards during this "surrender week." The Food Controller has fixed the maximum, importers' prices for tinned beef and mutton on the basis of 108 s per case of 721 b for the first grade, and 100 s for second grade; retail prices, 23d andl 21d -->er lb respectively. Mr Hoover, the United States Food Controller, threatens to issue food cards unless toe meatless and wheatless days are better observed, as the jellies' food demands are far greater than was expected. Mr Hoover is buying. 160,000.000 dollars' worth of food for the Allies monthly. In the House of Commons Mr Bonar Law stated that last year 82/5.000 men were added to the British army and 730,000 men ayd 800.000 women placed in employment. Fiftv thousand tons of cereals and 3.000,000 tons of potatoes had been added to our production. A million additional acres were ploughed last year, and 1.200,C00 more acres were already ploughed this year. The wheat stocks of the United Kinfrdr/m in December exceeded those of the previous December bv 2,000,000 quarters* THE ENGINEERS. The York. Manchester, and Newcastle Committers of the Federation of the Engirieerintr and Shipbuilding Trades adonted resolutions repudiating the Clyde Committee's resolution, passed nt, Glasgow on January 13 (calling on the Government to ■withdraw the Man-power Bill bv the end of January, otherwise the Clvde workers would be instructed to "down tools"). UNFORTUNATE BELGIUM. The Dutch Government have protested against the arrest of three Belgian .V- *—«

a* the result of the judges' strike against Germany's sham ejections for the Flanders Council. Tho Belgian Council of Ministers congratulates the Flemish and Walloon senators, deputies, and magistrates on heroically resisting the enemy's attempts to divide the nation through tho so-calledi Flemish Council. The Council eulogised tho people for their unfaltering determination to continue tho struggle for tho integral restoration of Belgian independence RAISING MONEY. Among tho leading efforts to avoid another loan is tho business men's "Tank Bank Week." It is to start on March 4, and each town will be asked to raise enough money to purchaso a definite munition of war, such, as a dreadnought, a cruiser, a destroyer, or an aeroplane, according to tho population. Tho people of Blytho have already undertaken to raise £IOO,OOO to purchase, submarines. ■ Mr Bonar Law, Chancellor of the Exchcqtier, who inaugurated the campaign wci a n nuarv 26 -- stated in tho Commons that ±,352,000,000 had been raised by war bonds, and ho was understood to sav that ho had every reason to hope its success' would obviate the need of a fixed loan. INDUSTRIAL RECONSTRUCTION. Dr Addison, in a speech at Leeds, said tho Ministry of Reconstruction was taking steps to restore extinct and languishing industries. Many unexploited industries would start after the war. Lord Burnham presided at the inaugural meeting of the Industrial Reconstruction Council./ Dr Addison (Reconstruction Minister) stated that tho governinc consideration in all reconstruction matters was the increased production of wealth; towards this employers and employed must co-operate. There must be industrial peace, to attain which it was essential for employers to join an employers' association and workmen to join trade unions, and these two would be asked to form a joint council. Different industries had been invited to form councils to advise respecting materials, scientific research, housing, and other needs, and how to reduce the margin of employment. Mr Roberts (Labour Minister) stated that Labour would never be content to return to the depressed, depraved pre-war conditions as mere wage-earners. The employers must get rid of their objections to high wages. There must be no limit to the workman's capacity of output. He protested against deluding the workers with the belief that there was a ready-made Utopia. The gradual modification of the existing order of things was the only sure way to progress. Mr Ernest Bevin, speaking for the working classes, said that Labour had been a year asking for the machinery suggested in Mr Whiteley's report. Labour declined to make up the deficit duo to the war. Labour wanted to know whether it would have vested interests in the surplus production permitted and Homo control oi prices. Dr Addison has appointed a committee to report on how to safeguard the public against an extension of the development of trade organisations and combinations. "*" ESCAPED GERMANS. Two men, Pitts and Choate, who escaped from Germany, bad many thrilling experiences. Pitt said: "Choate was responsible for the arrangements to escape. During his two years' imprisonment he studied German, in older to travel unsuspected. He made an earlier but unsuccessfull attempt to escape, for which ho was punished. Many of those in the camp knew that it was our intention to make a new attempt, but they guarded our secret carefully. Choate raffled an old fiddle in camp, thereby raising money to pay our expenses. "It was impossible to wear camp clothes without detection; therefor we secured the baggiest pairs of military trousers and took out the stripes from tho sides, and when sown up tho garments looked like ordinary workmen's trousers. We removed the distinguishing marks from our tunics, and we grew moustaches of tho approved Gorman pattern. Wo dodged tho sentries at nisrht time, and got clear of the camp. "Choate's knowledge of German was most useful. We noticed a policeman watching us suspiciously, and Choate asked him the way to the station. The policeman sternly ,asked: 'Who are you?' Choate replied that wo were Belgian workmen. The- policeman said: 'Where are you going?' Choate replied: 'Going home.' Choate's frankness disarmed tho policeman, who indicated the direction.

"Train travelling was difficult, but various devices allayed suspicions about us. We feigned sleep when closely watehed. Choate's disguise was perfect. He addressed me in colloquial German, to which I nodded or responded in monosyllables. We brought a little food with us from camp; therefore it was unnecessary to visit the restaurants, where the absence of bread and other cards would promptly have led to our detection. Finally we reached Holland." '

AUSTRALIAN . REINFORCEMENTS. Th© latest Australian reinforcements have mado an excellent impression. A system is now in full swing whereby experienced Australian officers, assisted by Imperial instructors (including many Mons men), are in command of the training depots at Salisbury and put the final polish on the reinforcements under war conditions. Many drafts have gone to France during the naet two months. A considerable proportion of wounded men who have been in England recovering, in some cases for 12 months, aro now undergoing a slow hardening process. The recruits have a great respect for the men who have been through the fighting in France, and many warm friendships spring up with the instructing noncommissioned officers. When the latter are ordered to France they are besieged with appeals by recruits to accompany them, despite the fact that the lattcrs' training period! is unfinished. Some are even willing to forgo disembarkation leave if they are permitted to go to France with a popular officer. As an instance of the general keenness, the latest arrivals —.a batch of artillerymen —offered individual bonuses to _ their instructors to give them extra instruction in gun laying, including night practice. GENERAL ITEMS. The King has offered three of the Royal palaces for national uses —Balmoral for a convalescent, hospital for the wounded, and Buckingham and Kensington Palaces as public offices. The British Red Cross Order of St. John Ambulance balance sheet for 1917 shows a deficit of £187,872, and the committee is

anxious for a sufficiency of funds to carry on.

With the exception of the Premier, who has pro-German leanings, members of Chinese Cabinet are willing to agree to the Entente- diplomats' request to deport enemy subjects. The Greek authorities have expelled three ex-Ministors, nine ex-deputies, and 51 others implicated in intrigues against the existing regime. The Central News states that negotiations are proceeding for the amalgamation of the leading shipbuilding, armour-plate, and iron and steel firms in Glasgow, Birmingham, ' and on tho north-cast coast, including Vickers and Beardmore. Lord Leverhulme, speaking in London, said wo could not return a single one of Germany's colonics to her, because she would sow seeds of disruption in the Empire, and our own colonies would feel that thß Mother Country had betrayed them. Unemployment in Copenhagen, owing to lack of raw materials, has caused serious syndicalist rioting. A crowd stormed tho Exchange, injuring brokers and damaging the buildings. The police quelled the riot. Tho Press Bureau reports that the Government has authorised a Zionist Commission to proceed to Palestine with a view to repatriating Jews whom the enemy have compelled to leave, organising relief work, reopening institutions, and restoring damago, v. i Lord Northcliffe has been appointed director of a propaganda for enemy countries. Heinrich Markwald, for many years in business in Australia, has appealed to the King's Bench against a fine of £5 for failing to register as an alien. Mr Ernest Pollock, K.C., argued that Markwald, under his Australian naturalisation, was to all intents and purposes a British subject. Mr Justice Lawrence said it appeared to him this was precisely the class of case where a man ought to be placed under surveillance. The appeal was dismissed. Lord Buckmaster's Committee on Prewar Contracts in tho United Kingdom and Allied and neutral countries, which has been impeded by the war, reports that the best possible solution is the extension of a spirit of compromise, which has already solved many difficulties. The committee does not favour tho cancellation by legislation or compensation, except where the loss involved is duo directly to Government interference. It does not recommend further legislative interference in the absence of more convincing evidence than witnesses submitted that tho existing law has been tried and has failed. AUSTRALIAN NEWS. The Commonwealth Government has taken over "the Walsh Island State Shipbudding Yards in Sydney Harbour. Father Jerger, a priest in charge of the Catholic Church at Marrickville, has been interned for making allegedly disloyal statements. All Italian subjects in Australia have been notified to report to the consuls for military service. It is expected . that Messrs Hughes and Cook will represent tho Commonwealth at the War Conferences to meet in London in June or July. In outlining after-the-war trade organisation to the Chamber of Manufacturers, Mr Hughes said that a General Council of Commerce and Industry would be formed, and a Minister of Commerce and Industry would be appointed. The Science "and Industry Bureau would be placed on a permanent basis, and trade representatives would be placed in the principal overseas markets. ..- ■ . A NEW LOAN. The prospectus of the now war' loan has been issued. It calls for unlimited subscriptions at par. Two rates of interest are payable—either 4i per cent, free of income tax, or 5 per cent, subject to taxation. Applications for the loan close on April Ifi. DEFENCE EXPENDITURE. The commission which is inquiring into the management of the Defence Department states that enormous losses are likely to be sustained by the Commonwealth, owing to the serious mismanagement of the department. The commission recommends the reorganisation of the whole business affairs of the department, and calL> for the appointment of a v board of expert'business men to take full control. The report severely criticises the policy of appointing- men trained only as soldiers, and states that in 1915 the Commonwealth proposed to equip and despatch three additional divisions to the front. Supplies for these divisions continued to pour in, and accumulated to euch an extent that, notwithstanding the issues since made, the ordnance store is still greatly overstocked. At the end of August last boots, jackets, greatcoats, and great coat material; valued at £2,000,000, were held in stock, this beings £1,250,000 in excess of requirements. A meeting of the Federal Cabinet decided to follow the commission's advice and appoint a board of administration consisting of three business men. TRIBUTE TO AUSTRALIANS. , Sir Walter E. Davidson, the new Governor of New South Wales, in acknowledging his official welcome, delivered a message fromhis Majesty the King appreciative of Australia's part in the "war. Sir W. E. Davidson added that the King remarked, in referring ito the gallantry of 'the Australian troops, that the greatest number of Victoria Crosses, in proportion to the number of troops engaged, was won by the Commonwealth of Australia and 'the Dominion of New Zealand, which was coupled for tho purpose. This testimony, coming from the King's own lips, should be gratifying.