POST-WAR CONDITIONS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16430, 25 January 1919, Page 4

POST-WAR CONDITIONS.

STILL NEED FOR ECONOMY. SUGGESTED USE OF ANTHRACITE. (from orrt own' correspondent.) LONDON, November 20. Coal is in very low supply, ancl official advice says it will remain scarce ail through the winter. The Coal Controller therefore is suggesting the use of anthracite, which is in plentiful sup,,lv and which, lie says, can he burned in open grates. He offers householders the opportunity of exchanging a ton or any smaller quantity of tfcnr undelivered coal for double the quantity of lar"0 or certain inferior varieties of anthracite. Tests show that in 8 hours lfiMb oF ordinary coal is consumed at a cost of 4Jd, and in the same grate SJlb of anthracite, costing _ 4 d a savin" of more than a third, with no diminution of heating value. To obtain the best results from it care in laying and maintaining tho firs is necessary. At least one prdinarv bundle of Kindling wood is necessary,.''or better still start the firo with ordinary coal. Feed the coal in small quantities gently nlace'-l on the fire. The poker must not be used, but when it is necessary to free tho air spaces of ash a piece ot wire gently at tho under side clears it sufficiently. CLOTH FOR THE NEW NEEDS. Sir Charles Sykes, Director of AVool Textile Production, explains the War Office position with regard tp the transfer from military to civilian production. They are now mainly concerned with the clothing of demobilised soldiers and with the provision of cloth at fixed prices for civilian wear. Jhe Department proposes that Govornmcn contracts should be continued, but foi cloth of a somewhat different character suitable for the new needs. .Wool not required for that purpose will at once bo released for the ordinary civilian trade, subject to the rationing scheme, which will continue so lonjj as the raw material is in short supply. There is no fear of unemployment, and everything possible is being done to obtain the necessary shipping to bring all the raw T>;aterial to this country. Con-, tracts have reached an outlay or £2,000,000 a week, and existing contracts represent £40,000,000. COOKING BY WASTE HEAT. A further extension of the principlo of heat economy has been effected by the utilisation of waste oxhaust gases for cooking purposes. A cooking-oven for this purpose has been specially designed by Mr F. A. Wilkinson, M.1.E.E., and is 13in by 13in by 20in high. It is of the electric heating type, and fitted with olectric-heating elements. At tho bottom of the oven is placed a receptacle which is fed by tiie e>haust gases from the engine through a valve. By this method a cooking temperature is said to be acquired in thirty-five minutes, whereas when heated electrically the same temporature demands the consumption of 1350 watts for fifty minutes. Boiling rings also utilise exhaust gases. The§e are hollow rings through which the waste gases pass. Electric-heating elements are placed centrally, and can be used in conjunction with the waste heat, or independently, when the engine is not running. CHEAPER EGGS. Eggs are much cheaper, the maximum price now for the best class being sid each, or '5s 6d per dozen, which is an improvement on the Bjd and 9d, lately ruling. According to the new order of the Food Controller, each "fresh" egg, each "imported fresh" egg, and each "imported pickled" egg, for which the maximum schedule price is charged must weigh l£oz. It will not be sufficient to comply with the ordor that a dozen eggs shall weigh 18oz. The order is very specific, and "each" egg must weigh lioz if tho schedule price is charged. Rotailers must exmbit notices showing under which of these categories the eggs they offer for sale come. They must also distinguish '"home fresh" eggs from "imported fresh" eggs, and eggs of different classes must not be mixed when exposed for sale. It will be an offence against the order to misdescribe eggs. It is foreshadowed that the Egyptian Government will export to Great Britain during the next three months 77,000,000 eggs. Their export to other countries is forbidden. -MORE TEA. The Food Controller has decided to remove the restrictions on the quantities of tea which may be obtained by retailers for the purposes of their business. Retailers will be allowed to obtain for sale on and after December 2nd whatever quantity"'is necessary to meet any reasonable increased requirements on the part of their registered customers, who will still only bo able to buy from the rotailer with whom they are registered. UNFOUNDED PREJUDICE. The Ministry of Food has reason to believe there is a widespread idea that margarine is not a suitable food for invalids, but it points out that this is quite a fallacy. The medical advisers to the Ministry have considered the question of allowing special permits to enable invalids to obtain the whole of their fats ration in butter, and have advised the Ministry that this, is not- necessary. They consider that cases in which invalids suffer any real disadvantage/ from eating margarine instead of butter are extremely rare— margarine being perfectly wholesome and quite as nourishing as butter. GOOD NEWS ABOUT SUGAR. There is reason to hone that before long the situation regarding sugar may be much improved. Enquiries in authoritative quarters reveal that there is plenty of sugar in the world —the whole problem is how to make it available for general consumption. The matter is being considered by the Sugar Commission in consultation with tho Shipping Controller. The point also is 'being considered whether confectioners or British housewives are to be relieved first. It is pointed out that the confectionery trade depends on other things as well as sugar, and that until there are unlimited supplies of these other things, it would be wrong to let the confectionery trade accumulate sugar which they use while the British housewife clamours for it. Once the necessary ships can be released for bringing sugar from the East and West Indies, where there are great stocks, the sugar ration — now lib per head per week—should be increased. MORE CATTLE FOOD. Mr C'lynes's announcement in the House with regard to feeding stuffs has been heartily welcomed by all concerned with the livestock industry. The question has been causing considerable anxiety to the Ministry of Food, for the Department was unexpected!}' confronted with a possible shortage of 1,700,000 tons. As far as can be seen, the concession which Mr Cylnes indicated in the House should reduce this deficiency to not more than 500,000 tons. A* certain quantity of oil-cake will also be brought into the country, although not enough to meet tho full requirements of the farmer.