SUPPLY OF POTATOES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144709, 18 June 1915, Page 3

SUPPLY OF POTATOES.

A POSSIBLE SHORTAGE. PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, June 17. During the last week or two, heavy, orders for potatoes havo been reaching New Zealand from Australia, and tho drain upon the Dominion’s supplies has begun to excite alarm in the local market, where prices have risen sharply sine© tho beginning of Hay. Apparently there is a shortage or potatoes in tho The price in Molbourne at the beginning of May was, £4 to £4 10s a ton, but the message 1 published early in, the present week gave tho ruling rate in the Victorian. : capital as £6 10s to £7, and, apparently, there has been a further rise within tho last day or two. The Australian, tariff places a duty of £1 a ton on potatoes, and tho freight charges are fairly heavy, but it is evident that the Commonwealth is tending to deplete:; the New Zealand market, and impose a new burden upon local consumers. The matter was brought under the notice of the Prime Minister to-day, and Sir. Massey informed a press representative that he had taken steps to secure all the available information regarding the condition of the potato market. The Government had been given ample power to preve.it the depletion of food stocks at the present juncture, and ho realised that, while New Zealand would bo glad to serve ' Australia up to a certain point, the rights of the local public had to be protected. The people of the Dominion must not bo asked to pay faming prices for potatoes. “1 cannot allow' this country to, he left short of potatoes,” said the Prime Minister. “If the heavy purchases of the last few days on Australian orders are continued. 1 may have to prohibit the export of potatoes. I have asked the Agricultural Department for particulars as to the quantities to be -available in this -country, but I am afraid that exact statistics bearing upon the point aro not obtainablo, the records showing merely the area planted However, the matter is going to have attention at once.”