THE FOOD PROBLEM.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 866, 18 November 1916, Page 9

THE FOOD PROBLEM.

CAUSES OF SHORTAGE. ACTION DECIDED UPON. Australian ai„l X.Z. Cable Association. LONDON". November 10. The House of Commons continued Hie del);ile on the food question. Mr Winston Churchill said thai j the shortage of labour was due to j the indiscriminate and salutary rejcruiling on a gigantic scale which ; every form of social pressure had enforced, lie warned the Mouse lagainsl any exaggeration of the subI marine menace. The Admiralty had | a great anti-submarine organisation which was able to cope with the danger if it was properly used. It was noteworthy that armed ships enjoyed greal immunity compared with unarmed vessels. Four-fifths of the armed vessels beat off attacks, while four-lifths of unarmed ships perished. He asked why Ihe Government could not take over all shipping, and also utilise native labour, and thus decrease the congestion in the ports, lie believed that the time would come when (here would be something like universal service, not only for the Army, bul for industry. It was essential to take drastic measures before the Pacifists intervened. Mr W. Hunciman, President of the Board of Trade, in replying, said that the shortage of ships was really due to the Navy's requirements. The food shortage had been largely caused by the failure of the North American harvest. Regarding the complaints as to delay in grappling with Ihe food problem, he said he believed that public opinion hitherto had not been prepared for drastic control because it would cause trouble. He did not favour State control of shipping because the work would not be so efficiently done. Mr \Y. A. S. Hewins's motion thai it was the Government's duty to adopt further methods of organisation to increase the national food supply, and so diminish the risk of shortage in the event of the war being prolonged, was carried.