ECONOMICS OF WAR.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16410, 2 January 1919, Page 5

ECONOMICS OF WAR.

POSITION IN ENGLAND BEFORE THE ARMISTICE.

(fbom oub own correspondent.) LONDON, October 29. An unfortunate position has now arisen for thousands of cottagers who followed official advice some months aS° and set out to rear pigs, which, it was | blithely stated, would subsist even on tho scraps and garbage thrown out from the frugal war-time kitchen. Tho Board of Agriculture has now to climb down. In doing so it remarks that the situation has changed greatly for tho I worse. Even at that time the Board ! felt it necessary to confine their encouragement to pig keepers who could pro- | vide the greater part of the food re--1 quired either from household waste, garden produce, roots, vetches, or other green crops ol the farm. Despite tho increasing difficulties that were experi- : enced in obtaining even a small allowance of concentrated feeding stuffs, a largo number of people throughout the country responded to the invitation of the Board and effectod a substantial increase in the number of pigs. It has now, however, become nocessary to tell pig keepers that even the small allowance of concentrated food hitherto allotted to pigs may not be oontinued beyond January 25th, 1919. Every possible ton of shipping space has to be spared to bring American soldiers and tneir supplies, and pigs may have to bo withdrawn from the favoured list after January 25th. Tho Board want every possible pig kept but they cannot promise any .food beyond January,; and they therefore cannot advise anyone to , continue to keep' pigs who does not see ! some way of providing for them out of local .resources. NO SWEETS IN THEATRES. The Food Controller has issued an order the effect of which will bo to prohibit entirely the sale-of sweetmeats in any theatre, cinema, or other place of public entertainment on or after November Ist. The Order is intended to secure that a larger proportion of the available supply of sweetmeats shall be obtainable by those traders who depend wholly or mainly upon the sale of such j goods for their livelihood.

BUTTER RUNS SHORT. New Zealanders who Imow how much butter and cheese is lying in stor© in. the Dominion do not take kindly to , the suddon announcement that th« butI tor ration of 2oz per week is to be re- ! duced to loz. Almost simultaneously : there has been an actual shortage of butter, and those of us who wore lucky enough to beoome accustomed to its i taste have been forced back on to margarine. It is all part of the determination to finish the war quickly. In ' consequence of the requirements of tonnage for tho transport of American troops, the quantities available in this country and expected from abroad will not be sufficient to maintain after October 20th the butter part of the fats ration. The supplies to retailers willaccordingly be reduced to'4oz of margarine and loz of butter per week in respect of each registered customer. The scale of consumption of tabl© fats in 1 catering establishments is being reduced by one-sixth to correspond with the reduction in the general ration. The : scale of table fats consumption for institutions (other than tuberculosis hospitals) will be reduced from 6oz to soz per resident. j CHRISTMAS RATIONS. A welcome concession Eas been made by the Ministry of Food in respect of the purchase of turkey, goose, ana other poultry during the Cnristmas season. From December Ist until Saturday midnight, January 11th, the whole of the meat coupons in the new ration books may be used for the purchase -of chickens, turkey, etc. Moreover, a temporary flat rate of 31b per coupon has been fixed upon for the period, instead of 21b.

SALT EXPORT FORBIDDEN. Consternation has boon caused in the Cheshire salt district bv an official notification that, with tne object of 6aving the fuel used in its manufacture, all exports of salt are immediately to be stopped. Prohibition of exports involves stoppage of half the salt trade of the United Kingdom, a loss of £700.000, and the dismissal of 2500 employees. "KOSHER" MARGARINE.

Jews and vegetarians who have signed the necessary declaration may now obthe necessaiy declarations may now oblieu of ordinary margarine. After November 2nd vegetarians will be allowed 9oz weekly of nut butter on surrender of the meat and lard leaves from their new ration books. If a vegetarian surrenders his meat leaves only. his ration of nut butter will be 6oz weekiv. At the same date Jews 'will .bo allowed 4oz of vegetable oil a week in lieu of their lard ration. "Kosher'* margarine will only be allowed in lieu of the ordinary margarine ration, and not in lieu of meat or lard. Supplies of nut butter and vegetable oil (other than olive oil) will be reserved exclusively for the purposes of this scheme. FAVOURITISM BY SHOPKEEPERS. Mr J. R. Clynes, the Food Controller, said they had had to bring food for beast as well as man. That created the cattle, pig, and poultry problem. The foods consumed by

cattle, pigs, and poultry ran to hundreds of millions of tons, and it was better to have thin cattle and lean meat than no meat at all later on. He made no wholesale charges against the trading class, but he would be more proud of them if they kept more in mind the fact that there was a war on, and applied a littlo moro fairness towards tlio mass of consumers. The efforts at equality had often been frustrated by unjustifiable favouritism shown on the part of some shopkeepers and food dealers. When prices wer e fixed as a public necessity in war time, no private man should bo allowed to upset them. No device or double-dealing on the part of any trader or shopkeeper should stand in the way of a public right when Parliament had decided arrangements for distribution and rationing intendod to b e equal and fair to all. HORSES ON SHORT RATIONS. . Owing to the diminished importation of oats, due to the paramount requirements of the American military programme, it is impossible to guarantee a fixed ration of oats for horses. The hay .rations laid down for working horses in September are sufficient to keep horses in proper condition, but the difficulty recently has been that supplies have not been available to meet the rations allowed. No effort will be spared to ameliorate existing conditions. Mr Clvnes says new order authorises an increased ration of cereal food for the winter months, but, in view of the shortage in the supplies of oats, maize, and other cereals, owners are urged to exercise every economy in the feeding of their horses, and to take every opportunity of using substitutes for cereal foodstuffs, such as carrots and other roots. The daily rations (in terms of oats) allowed to horses are:— Hard Light / work. work. Heavy' dray and cart horses and heavy trotting vanners ... lGlb 121b Light dray and cart horses and heavy trotting vanners 141b 101b Other light horses and cobs 121b 91b • Ponies 14 hands and under ... ••• 71b 51b SAVING'ON THE TRAMWAYS. The L.C.C. Tramways Department has distributed a bonus of i/1614 among their drivers and conductors.. This sum represents half the price of fuel for power saved during the quarter, and is awarded in connexion with a scheme for inducing the men to cooperate in the economising of fuel and light. During that period 1175 tons of coal have been saved—a reduction of nearly 5 per cent, on the average consumption. The cars rani 12,110,824 miles at a consumption of 26,142,671 _ units of electricity, effecting a saving of 1,348,899 units. Drivers and conductors have been saving power**by exercising care in the manipulation of switches and levers used in starting, accelerating, and stopping the cars, and in the judicious use of lighting apparatus.