THE FIRST EXPEDITION

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2240, 28 August 1914, Page 6

THE FIRST EXPEDITION

AN OFFICIAL ASSURANCE

ALL WELL AND IN GOOIi FORM

Ail assurance regarding tho welfare of the first section of tlio Expeditionary Force was £iven by the Prime Minister in tlio House of Representatives last evening. "During the last few days," said Mr. Massey, "a number of wild and mischievous rumours have been in circulation with regard to a disaster which is alleged to have overtaken, the first section of the Expeditionary Force. These rumours have not the very slightest foundation. I have been spqcially requested by His Excellency the Governor to tell honourable members that he has been in communication no longer ago' than early this morning with the Expeditionary Force. They are well and in good form and ready .tq give a good account of themselves whenever an opportunity may "offer." The statement by the Prime Minister was received ivith applause.

RISE IN WHEAT AND FLOUR

DISCUSSED IN PARLIAMENT

THE COUNTRY'S SUPPLIES

An interesting contribution. to tho discussion regarding inflated prices of commodities was made by Mr. T. Bustoil (Ternuka) in the House of Representatives last evening. A statement vvas ma.de by Sir Joseph Ward that the price of flour in the South Island had been raised to £13 per' ton, and the price of oatmeal to £15 per ton. Ine contention that the ; increase in prices was justified by shortness of supplies was contested by Mr. Buxton, who reminded the House that he had had considerable experience aB a grain merchant. Tho estimated yield of wheat a conservative year, said the speaker, was 5,-233;045 bushels, to which he added tihe' estimated | "carry-over" of 1,610,000 bushels, and the quantity of. flour imported from Australia bet veen April' 30 and July 31, a total equivalent to 356,770 bushels of wheat (actually 178,385 cenof flour) making a total supply of ' j ?pu bushels of wheat and flour. • lhe requirements of tho country upok a basis of sis bushels per'head, ho added, were 6,660,000 • bushels for food, and -333,548 bushels for seed, a total of 6,993,548 bushels. The surplus at April 30 when the new season's supplies would be available was therefore to be estimated at 236,267 bushels. .

The Prime Minister: That is cutting it pretty fine. Mr. Buxton: Perhaps so, \ but the estimates are on tho lowest possiblo •i?i IS V I e Relieved it would not be possible to buy wheat at less than 4s. 9d or ss. per bushel. , *■. A remark was mado by Mr. 6. Witty (luccarton) that lie understood the Imperial Government had mado contracts for supplies of oats at 2s. lid. a bushel, a price much higher than, the fanner ™ an 'T> opportunity of obtaining. . ilio 1 rimo Minister explained that only a very small quantity of oats had been bought by the New Zealand Government, as practically a full supply for the voyafio to England had boon provided by patriotic producers and merchants. The Government had no knowledge of the contracts made by the Imperial authorities, as the purchases liacl been liiade on samples in London through tho agents of New Zealand arms. . Mr. Witty ; yj 16 merchants are making a lot of money out of it. Mr. Massey stated that the prices of wlieat, flour, and meat would be first investigated by the Commission, under the Trade Regulation Act. The whole question was whether there was a sufficient surplus from the previous harvest w compensate' for the deficiency of VoO,OOO bushels in the yield of last season beyond the requirements of tho Dominion. All over the world there was a scarcity of wheat. " Sir Joseph Ward asked whether the Government had bought any wheat or flour, Mr- Massey: Th© Government has bought wheat simply as a precautionary measure ra case of a scarcity. We have bought a considerable quantity, and it wi.l be kept in store in case of it 'being required. Sir Joseph \ Ward: Bought in New Zealand? Mr. Massey: No, bought in Australia, the object being to add to the . quantity of wheat in the Dominion. \

NEW ZEALAND PRIZE COURTS

A PROCLAMATION. A Gazette Extraordinary, published Inst evening, declares the Supremo Court of New Zealand to have jurisdiction as a Prize Court under the Naval Prize Acts, 18G4—1914 (Imperial). During tho present hostilities tho Convention known as tho Declaration of shall,- subjeefc to tlie following additions and modifications, bo adopted and put in fores by His Majesty's Government as if the same 'had been ratified by His Majesty:— 1. The list of absolute and conditional contraband contained iii tho Proclamation dated August 4, 1914, shall be substituted for tho lists contained in articles twenty-two and twonty-four of the said Declaration. 2. A neutral vessel whioh succeeds in carrying contraband to the enemy with false papers may be detained for bavin" carried such contraband if she is encountered beforo she has completed her return voyage. ' 3. The destination referred to in article thirty-three may bo inferred from any sufficient evidence, and (in,addition to tlio presumption laid (lown iu articlo tinrty-four) shall be presumed to exist if the goods aro consigned to or for an agent of the enemy State, or to .or for a merchant or other person under tho control of tho authorities of tho enemy State. .

4. The existence of a blockade shall be presumed to be known—(a) To all ships which sailed from or touched at an enemy port a sufficient time after the notification of the blockade to tho local authorities to have enabled tho enemy Government to make known the existence of the blockade: (b) To all ships which sailed from or touched at a British or allied port after tho publication of the declaration of blockade.