POST-WAR CONDITIONS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16432, 28 January 1919, Page 5

POST-WAR CONDITIONS.

RETURNING TO CIVIL LIFE. HIGH PRICES STILL LIKELY. - (trou que own correspondent.) ' ' LONDON, December 10. * , Many people in many trades, and I numerous members of the public, seem to think that the cessation of the war - will bring about an immediate reduc- ' tion in prices—especially of clothing. 1 But authoritative information tells j that, instead of prices being lower they t are much more likely to be higher with i the advance of spring, and there are 1 many contributory causes. Future 1 charges in the shops must be based on i the amounts paid for existing stocks ; and future supplies. The campaigns to obtain better wages for warehouse employees and shop assistants will exert an influence on prices. Take cotton, for instance. Stocks of the raw material are so short as to entail restricted employment in spinning mills and weaving sheds, and wages have advanced considerably in Lancashire. Government, Allied, and neutral demands will remain considerable for a time. In wool' the position is the most difficult. Stocks of raw wool in .. thjs country are very low, and the reduction is causing very grave anxiety. No substantial improvement can be expected before May at the earliest. There is a world shortage of woollen goods. It is now almost impossible to induce cloth manufacturers to accept, new business on any terms, and prices when quoted are as much, as 40 per cent, above those asked a year ago. Several wholesale clothiers predict still higher values for the winter-of next year. Silk goods are largely in the hands of our Allies and Switzerland. High-grade silk goods fi-om France and Italy mil not he cheaper in price yet awhile, and the outlook is doubtful in _ Japan. Drapers may mark down prices for various articles of a .flimsy character, "but any general reduction on other goods seems altogether out of the question for several months. But the War Office intends to produce standard articles of wear for men, women, and children, for sale at controlled prices, until the necessity for them has disappeared. SHIPS READY FOR RELEASE. Mr Walter Runciman is of opinion that out of 1200 or 1300 cargo boats designated for service in the Navy, at j least 800 could be set free at once if j the Government lent itself immediately : to the task. These vessels could be returned at once to their bunker ports, j land their stores and coal, and be sent .to America, and Australia, and New Zealand, for foodstuffs; It would have been much better if the Government had devoted itself to the release and allocation of this shipping, and to oihor economic problems which press _ hardly upon lis, than upon the engineering and conduct of an election. High prices were the curse of our households, and would be the curse of our industries. If we could not bring down these prices and reduce the cost of living we should find ourselves miserably handicapped in providing work for our men on their return from the Army. DOUBLING THE FRUIT SUPPLY. To increase the yield of home-grown fruit the Food Production Department is taking in hand the question of neglected orchards. , Thousands of trees in the country, which have been allowed to grow as they like, are : covered with moss and lichen, and it is believed that bringing these trees back to fit-bearing condition will nearly double the production of fruit during the next few years. The Food Production Department has placed nine technical inspectors at the disposal of th© j County Agricultural Committees to inspect' and report on negleced orchards. RATIONED MILK. The Ministry of Food's latest rationing order prohibits the serving of milk as a beverage at residential or catering establishments, milk shops, and the j like, except to residents producing a i medical certificate, and to children un- I der ten. It restricts the consumption of milk for other purposes at catering establishments to one-seventh of a pint for breakfast, and one-fourteenth of a pint at luncheon, dinner, or tea. 1914-1918. Mr Clynes's sanguine belief that decreasing freight rates will 6oon bring! down the prices of uncontrolled im- j ported foodstuffs is not shared by! housewives, who believe that the high, prices will continue among tradesmen generally until the Ministry of Food comes down with a heavy hand. The housewife's impression is that, high freights or low. as long as tradesmen can continue to extort without dangor to themselves they will do so. The following figures 'jive prices of some controlled and uncontrolled foodstuffs now and in 1914, thus: — 1914. Now. s d. s. d. Pork sausages ... 0 10J 1 9 Ox tongue ... 2 7 6 8 i Chedd. cheese ... 0 lli 1 8 "utter ... 1 7 2 G i Honey ... 0 10 2 6 Tin apricots ... 1 3 2 ( White pepper ... 1 7 5 0 Vinegar ... 0 8* 16 , Mustard ... 0 8* 1 o j Allspic© ... 0 5J 10 , Clove* i 2 go (

ORANGES AND LEMONS BY WEIGHT. Oranges and lemons are being imported 1 and released in increasing quantities, and tnere should be an amplesupply at the controlled price—lOd per lb for oranges and Is per lb for lemons. The apples we were promised are tardy in making their appearance. It is to be feared that there is some attempt on the part of the trade to force up the maximum price. They are saying they cannot afford to import apples and sell them at 9d per lb, and those who have i been holding back English apples for a bigger price are aghast at the prospe'-'t 1 of navmg to sell their hoard at this rate. SUBSTANTIAL PROFITS. Mr F. \V. Tattersall, an authority ; n Manchester, reports that enormous and, ; "record" profits have been made in the Lancashire cotton spinning industry this year. He has analysed the returns of forty companies for the twelve months ended November 30th, and the total profit made by them is £576,134, being an average .per company ct £14,403, against only' ,£5035 in 1917. Statistics are available for the past twenty-five years, and more money has been made during the past twelve months than in any similar period in 'the history of trade. After allowing for depreciation and interest, the profit on share capital works out at over 34 per cent, a year, as compared with about 13 per cent, last year. On share and loan capital combined the profit is nearly 22 per cent., against 8 per cent, in 1917. There are 3,752,561 spindles in the 40 mills. The total up share capital amounts to £1,677,709, and loans are £953,038. The height of prosperity during the year was reached m July and August, when the margin of profit for spinners was abnormally wide. Since then a distinct change for the worse in the trade situation has occurred, and prices now being secured are much less satisfactory than three or four months ago. THE WELL-TO-DO PORTER. All railway porters do not welcome tho promised eight hours' dayj because it will reduce their "tips." Few people realise, it is stated that passenger train porters at large stations are among the aristocracy of labour, their jobs being worth from £250 to £300 a year or more.- and many men well "pitched" prefer to be porters all their lives, as tney cannot afford "promotion" to be shunters or signalmen *»r stationmasters, where tips are out of bounds. Porters work about ten hours daily, and their present war wages are 33s per week, while overtime and Sunday duty carry higher rates of pay, and the railway oompahies supply the clothing. "Wnat do platform porters gez from tips?" To this question an inspector at a big London station said: "It varies but many of the men would think it a bad week if they did nor pick up £3.. In these days many people give a shilling or more for' tie assistance they get.