COST OF LIVING IN BRITAIN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2859, 25 August 1916, Page 6

COST OF LIVING IN BRITAIN

DEBATE IN HOUSE OF COMMONS

BOARD OF TRADE'S VIEW

Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. London, August 23. ( ; : In the House.of Commous, Captain E. G. Pretynian (Secretary to tho of Trade), replying in the derbato on food prices, said that the matter could not be; isolated from the general'conduct of the war. It was only ipart of-the- war problem, and not, of (first importance. It,was largely one

; of shipping, and claims on shipping .■/■i'were: many and conflicting.' ,Thq. Gov:had. : daily ; negotiations: with. V.' (different.interests ( with the..purposo of. ''*ikeeping;down prices. .It ..was' calcu?'■>lated.>;tliat .Boldiers'. 1 . consumption .of ;i;(,(J;food was' fifty; per cent, higher, than in ~v: j.civilian.life.. .• That was*, sufficient < to r ..:-' account for' a' considerable .increase m

M'S the'prices.'' Tho evil was increased by HV\the. simultaneous lowering of supplies !■ and by the withdrawal of labour from (:(('the 'land. Those, were factors'beyond -(((the Government's control. Tlie Gov,;;;ernment practically controlled tho ship-,j■'.-,;'pingj.'and steps were being taken to ; iv.pfovent the cornering of commodities.. -HIGH COST; : OF LIVING IN AMERICA ;v GREAT (INCREASES ;DrjRING THE y". f -;-\-' ':' PAST YEAR. : ' ;..;. Australian-New Zealand Cable, Association. ..V,; ; ;; v.i, . : New York, August 23. }ir~' -Tho,cost of living during tho past V'tfyear increased 30 to'so per cent. in ■■[■ '(/New York and 25 per cent, in Chicago. •;• The price of .tinned foods increased a .100 per cent., beef and pork' 23, flour £.'": 15, and fresh vegetables 10 to 100 per •y'.ient:.•-. ,■.'"■•■.■■., • •

"i:! (BACK FROM ARCTIC WILDS

MEMBER OF CROCKER LAND EXPEDITION. Australian-Now Zealand Cable Association. Washington, August 23. The Government has received word of the safe arrival at Copenhagen of Fitz-Hugh Green, the American naval officer-on,the Crocker Land expedition 1 which left in 1913; Mr. Green's re- ' port makes no reference to the existence of Crocker Land,; which Peary bo lieved he had discovered, and does not mention whether Professor Macmiljan and others of the party are with him '' Tho party was several times threaten ed'with starvation. [A well-equipped American expedition, under one of Peary's former assistants, Professor D. B. Macmillan, sailed north for Crocker Land' (far west of Greenland) in July, 1913. Tho expedition Loped to reach Cape York, Greenland, early in August. Jt ■* was proposed to establish winter quarters on Ellcsmere Land or Pim Island, and'later a secondary base at Capo Thomas Hubbard, in preparation for a start for Crocker Land in February, 1914. J - ' QUESTION OF PEARY'S CLAIMS RAISED. • (Rec. August 24, 3.30 p.m.) ' Washington,; August 23. In consequence of Fitz-Hujjh Green's ■ report not confirming tho discovery of, "rocker Land, a section of Congress is urging an investigation of Admiral Peary s claims. An' 1 investigation is considered unlikely.

EXPORT OF TIN PLATES PROHIBITED

IS: POSITION OF.THE MINISTERS; iAUßtralian-SW Zealand Cable Association. '.-!' :>. ■'■; ~..' -','lqndph,:August 23.•' ';•';■',':. Owing -to; the -shortage of ;; the Government thinks that too manj 7 tin'plates are being manufactured, and .'the"Ministry of.Munitions' has notified 'manufacturers that .export; will be bn-v-tifoly,.prohibited except, under- a -li. ;, cense; also to : permit, only' the manu- ' facturo of plates required by Govofu- .-': ment contracts,- of which particulars must be furnished at the shipper's re>;quest." ■'■' .-■:■'.'■';. ;■(; '.. .-\ ' ~ v The Agent-General for Tasmania (Sir ,';' John M'Call) is making -representations - to the authorities urging that the Dominions should bo placed, on a differ lentifooting, to neutrals, and pointing out the hardship of imposing rcstric:tions, now••!', that Dominion suppliers ..have completed the Government contracts for 1916; ;

CORRUPTION IN PANAMA

i CHARGE AGAINST THE PRESIH DENT OF THE REPUBLIC.

.Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. Washington, August 23. Mr. Lansing, : Secretary of State, has announced that an investigation l» -; proceeding into a charge.; against'-. Val-v.aez,-President of Panama. It is al-"-leged'that he was instrumental in m- .'• curing a -concession of 50j000 acres for ij the agents of Japanese silk firms.-. Tho 'I hind is located on tho Atlantic sea-. '^-board, opposite San Miguel Bay, on tho ~; Pacific seaboard, andmight form a naval base.