MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 October 1916, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

THE FOOD QUESTION. FOOD MINISTER SUGGESTED. SERIOUS HOME SHORTAGES. deceived Oct. 18, 6 p.m. London, Oct. 17. In the House of Commons, Mr. Barnes raised the question of food prices. He said that the time had come when he favored the appointment of a Food Minister. It might be necessary to have food tickets, and the Food Commission should have power to fix prices. The high prices of bacon and milk were a public danger, and due to the manipulation of waste. Farmers who had at once time given milk to their pigs had now thrown it into drains in order to maintain prices. Rt. Hon. George Lambert said that the country was threatened with a serious shortage of home-grown supplies during the coming year, owing to the withdrawal of thirty per cent, of labor.

STATEMENT BY MINISTER. WHAT IS BEING DONE. ' ~ FRENCH AND ITALIANS SUPPLIED. Received Oct. 18, 7.10 p.m. , r n London, Oct. 17. Mr. Runciman said that the Government was prepared to take anv steps to prevent the exploitation of food He pointed out that the raised prices were partly due to munition and other wellpaid workers demanding the best cuts of meat, and the best of other food The. consuming capacity of the people had very largely increased. Trawlers were trawling for mines, instead of fish. Fw 3 which were formerly imported from Russia were cutting supplies, and had raised prices. He was making arrangements w,th the War O.Tice to provfde farmers with sufficient milkers, LaZ would take steps to make it a'crin ina offence to wilfully destroy milk The Government had taken 'steps to keep down the price of meat, and"had made arrangements to get more supplies for the retail trade than ever before. The Government's purchases already amountii V X r/', n,illiol ' S - We a ™ s»PPlVmrthe Italian and French armies in addition to the British army. The Government had eliminated the middleman a profit, strictly limited the merchants' profit, and had taken steps to J"£ e nccess «y margin in wheat. Ssir E. Carson interjected: Has there been any exploitation of wheat? Mr. Runciman: There is absolutely no evidence to that effect in connection with the arrangements made with Australia. ,

LARGE SUPPLY OF AUSTRALIAN WHEAT.' Received Oct. 18, 10.35 p.m. ~ „ London, Oct. IS Mr. Runc.man added: By arrangement with Australia they had a very larce amount of wheat in hand, and were prepared to extend operations.

SHORTAGE OF SHIPPING. Mr Runciman added that the best way to insure the quickest despatch was to .pay wheat carriage on a basis of joyagc charter, giving an incentive to all concerned to run their vessels qtnekly. Out of a total freight of ten thousand, vessels, only eleven hundred ocean-goers were free to conduct their own operations. The Admiralty Had agreed with many directors of shipp:ng companies to utilise fewer vessels of groat bulk in the mercantile marino under their control. Only a small traction of the mercantile marine was running under free rates, and only sixty whereof were bringing foodstuffs The remainder were running under Blue Book rates, or under fixed rates bearing no relation to ordinary rates. These facts ought to be know,,, ,„ view of the hubbub. Outside freights had very little to do with the increased cost of food. For example Canadian cheese was 4d or 5d hMicr' but the freights were onlv a -3d higher' The real cause was the shortage tf shipPing. The Government was doing its best to assist in the construction of new vessels, with the utmost rapidity. We had lost in the war period, as 'a result ot the enemy's action, ordinary marine risks of two million gross tonnage, more than the entire mercantile marines of France, Spain, or Italy prior to the war. The Allies' losses had also been heavy. He believed that the Government dealt with these problems on the right lilies. We must avoid puttin" ourselves in the position of a blockaded people.. Bread tickets and meat cards were all artificial arrangements, harmful to those least able to bear them,

INSULATED TONNAGE.

Received Oct. 10, 12 10 a.m,

London, Oct. 18. Mr. Runciman further stated that the jnoat transactions meant an enormous amount of insulated tonnage. At present the amount sent from "the River Plate totalled 450,000 tons a year, and the Australasian supply was ' still greater. The Government had to readjust prices with the Australian Government owing to the increased worlun» costs, but no increase had been paid to shipowners since the war, and they must continue at the same rate until the war was over.

COMMANDEERING OF HIDES. Received Oct. 18, 5.5 p.m. London, Oct. 17. Official: Except as to hides, which are now being converted into leather, the Army Council takes over nil hides imported from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and South America, also all other imported hides of the followin" descriptions: Resalted, 451bs. and over° dry salted 2olbs. and over, dry ISibs. and over.