FOOD EXPORTATION

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2256, 16 September 1914, Page 6

FOOD EXPORTATION

| WHAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS I ■ ,'DONE. The Prime Minister was asked iii the House of Representatives last night by Mr. J. A. Hanan whether the Government would follow the example of Canada and Australia by confining the country's exports to Great Britain and the Empire. The Hon. F. M. B. Fisher: Done a month.ago. . . / The Prime Minister said that probably Mr. Hanan had noticed that tho export of wheat and flour fiad been prohibited, and that there- was now a prohibition on tho export of oats, except as regarded exportation to portions of tho Empire Foodstuffs were allowed to be sent to the Islands, because they were to a largo extent dependent upon New Zealand for food supplies. A number of New Zealand merchants had entered ' into meat and other contracts with America, and it had not, been deemed necessary yet to tako any step wliich would interfere with these dealings. THE PRICE OF SUGAR. Mr. Witty raised the question of tho increased price of sugar, and asked whether the Prime Minister was aware that the Colonial Sugar Refining Company was practically evading tho Trust Act" by appointing merchants as its agents and allowing them a comniission of three and a half per cent., wliich was equal to a rebate of about ten shillings aiton on present prices. The Prime Minister, said that this matter had been referred to the Food Commission.

LIFE AT SAMOA LETTER FROM A VOLUNTEER. One of tho sappers attached to tho Expeditionary. Force 1 at present in Samoa writes interestingly of the conditions under which they are living at Apia. "Wo are encamped on tho racecourse, about three-quarters of a mile out of tho town. We are roused up at 4 a.m. and marched with full gear on to tho beach, wait there, until 7 a.m., then return' to camp and have breakfast.. Parade at 8 a.m., then off to tho bush, where wo are' cutting a road for tho camp water supply. Finish at noon; start again at 1 p.m., and work on till 5 p.m. Tea. Lights out at 9. "Tho weather has proved so' hot that they have had to spell us between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.—not before it was necossairy. Tho natives say that the white man gets sick if ho works all day in the sun. So far (September 5) wo havo not been paid, nor has any leavo been granted. Tho officers appear to fear that if an attack is made it will bo in the early morning, and wo take blankets with us on the early morning parade in case we have to bivouac. "The natives always hang round at meal times, looking for 'kai' (food). Thero are plenty of Chinese hore, and tho Samoan police take a special delight in knocking them about whenever they ,get a. chance. I saw two rows, in which the Chinesb were knocked about cruelly. On one occasion a Samoan policeman ran into a Chinaman and was knocked off his 'bike.' When he got up he kicked 'John' on the shins as hard as ho could, and the Chinaman did not even protest. The Samoans aro a strong, fine-looking race, and are very polite to us. When wo pass them on the march they always salute. Wo are going _to build a bridge and an. observation tower. Wo have heard no war news sinco wo landed, so send us all you can by return mail. . . . I often used to think how-lovely it would_ be to live iin the Islands, but the heat is a killer, and one just' feels like- lying down and gently perspiring. The poor old Fifth Regiment havo just returned to camp from a march in the sun, and havo had a- rough run. It's not all beer and skittles, I promise you I"