FOOD IN WAR TIME

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2495, 23 June 1915, Page 8

FOOD IN WAR TIME

STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER. (By Telegraph.—Special Kcporter.) Palmerston North, June 22. ' "There arc economic laws, and yoq i might_as well try. to interfere with them as interfere with the rotation- of the t earth," said the Prime Minister, the Hon. W. F. Massey, speaking at tho National Dairy Show here to-day. Mr. Massoy was dealing with the prices and supplies of wheat, oats, and butter. He said that on account of the dry season wo did not have a sufficient supply of cereals. He did not think we would be far short ill wheat, but there was a serious shortage in oats, the yield of which was less than it had been for many years. Ho had been told onco that he should take the farmers' wheat and give them not more than os. a bushel for it. If he had followed that advice .tho wheat-growers would have said, "We are going in for butter or cheese producing," and a big wheat shortage would have resulted. What he had done was to say that the farm-ers-should get a fair price for their wheat, and on that account they had continued in the business, and now wo might oven have enough wheat for our requirements and some over. Regarding butter, he had been advised to limit the price to Is. per lb., but if he had done so the butter factories would have gone in for cheese-making, and there would have been a butter famine soon. Tlio people who criticised him adversely over these matters would see that lie had acted for the best. (Applause.)