A HUNGRY WINTER BRITAIN'S PROSPECT

Chronicle (Levin), 23 August 1946, Page 8

A HUNGRY WINTER BRITAIN'S PROSPECT

MR. MULHOLL AND ' S VIEWS Shortage of food in Britain durinj, the coming winter there was going 1o !>e more severe than ever, in the opinion of Mr. W. W. Mulholiand, leader of the New Zealand deiegation to the recent International Conference oi Agricultural Producers in Lohdon. On iiis return yesterday he said that the eil'ect of tlie preseut laek of grain a. Ilome would be to reduce the production of animal products, particularly foodstuffs, for the next year or two, and it would be two or three years befoit the loss was overtalcen. For example, the amount of feed available for pigs liad been severely cut, and breeding sows were being slauglitered by tlie thousand. There was a possibilitv, too, that the milu supply would be severely curtailcd during the eoming winter; Brcad rationiug was already in operation, but it was doubtfnl if it eould be carried out suecessfullv iu face of opposition from the bakers and the pulilic. Some of the lo.aves made from the flour of 90 per cent. extntction were unparatable. Egg production had been practically wipetl out in Britain, where poultrv keepers were getting only one twelfth of their normal supplies of feed. Mr. Mulholiand said that once the grain shortage had been overeome the meat situation would right itself readily. Great elforts were being made throughout the world to secure an enormous food harvest in 1947. Giveu a normal season, there should then be sufticieut to feed the people of Britain and Westem Europe satisfaetorily. In

average conditions, the shortage of food so far as Europe was ' concerned should be completely over by 1948. There would still remain certain distribution difficulties, however. • Problem of Surpluses Mr. Mulholiand touched on the question of eventual surpluses, and said tliat tlie conference realised that the elforts now being made to overeome the serious shortage of food must ultiinately lead to tlie creation of surpluses and the marketing problems associated witli them. There was no longer the idea that marketing problems' could be met by restriction of eitlier production, oi marketing. Tmproved methods of distribution olfered tlie solution. That inc.luded regulation of supply and

Imilding up reserves to meet possible future shortages, the development oi new uses for products^ and the opening up of new markets. Detailed iilauswould be discussed bv the Tnternationa' Federation of Agricultural IJroducers ii ihe various nations concerned agreed to tlie formation of that organisation. Sir .Tolin Boyd Orr, director of the food and agriculture organisation of Fnited Nations, had told the conference that the world grain shortage would be overeome by 1948. In 1949 there would be a slight surplus, and in 1950 possi'bly a considerable oue. "If th-ere.. is» a large sufpbis of grain, Fsaid MfS Miilhbi-land^- :"'it is quijte: possible dffiay' 'itv.wlll'' start the dQwn-swin'gv- (aTpl he'ad u"s towdrcft'ith e -firs't posFwaVMujfrp so that it is of very gl-ekt' impoftanCe Lliat we should be prepared." Ile thought that the existing scheme for dealing with surplus wool might be a useful g-uide when it came to dealing with other products. He made the poiut that Britain eould not continue to buy from New Zealand uniess New Zealand was prepared to buy from her. At preseut the British people were starv ing themselves of many things formerly -regarded as necessaries in order to ex port them' for foreign exchange to pav for food. The American loan would ease things a little, but was only a palliative. When it was physically possible, Britain might be forced to forego high-priced butter and lamb and usi margarine and mutton instead.