A NEW BRITISH CIVIL DEPARTMENT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2900, 12 October 1916, Page 5

A NEW BRITISH CIVIL DEPARTMENT

•' — ; — -* .'-' THE BUREAU Of COMMERCE Australian-Ken- Zealand Cable Aesoi siation. London, October ; 10. The House of Commons was < jpened trmetly.' Mr. Runciman Coresident of'„ the Board of Trade) announced that i t new and enlarged Commercial Depart ment, combining the commercial intelH genco and exhibition branches of the Bo* irdof 'hade committees, would make a n in- ' vesdgation on the after-war posi Itioii. Important industries had' made cd csi'derablo progress. He looped soon t. '» in- \ trodnce a Bill providing for na,b tonal, organisation, and dealing with the 'mew trade and commercial conditions. ; .Mr. 'W. -Hayes.' Ksher (Seoretary •. to the Local'Governmentßoard 8 )' s« t!»d thai the ■ Government cbntenrpfe [ted assisting disabled "soldiers and sartors desiring to.emigrate, but.it was a qt, (estion for the local pensions committee B. Mr. Runciman said'that since the t rar the Government had taken more co tnprehensive measures to maintain i he wheat stocks of 'the' kingdom. It w Vs suggested to the ITrenoh and J talis vu Governments at the end of 1915 thi jfc co-operation wouldl be better than con Ipetition. ■ A committee was formed \ and representatives of the three coun vtries daily met in London, purchasing 1 the combined requirements of. wheat ( and maize. As the grain trade was r disinclined to hold more than minimum , stocks, in view of tihe posaibility of war f developments releasing crops in certain ] countries, it was no longer safe to leave tho question to private enterprise, and) Cabinet decided that it must develop State importation. A Royal Commission was Appointed, to- secure adequate, and also: to regulate, supplies of wheat and flour, and it was cooperating with the Allies' Committee.; This meant, said Mr. Runciman, that wheat importation to Britain must be undertaken largely, if not entirely,: under the contrblof the.Commission. In anticipation of'these steps the Government tod made very large j>urcha«e"S— all of Auetralian-wfleat. (Cheers), The Commonwealth Government in WIS purchased the Australian wheat, but with the granaries' full it found itself short of tonnage to ;Eiirope. _ Steps had now been .taken to ensure its conveyance. AH the purchases for tbe.Bri-v . tush. Government as wheat imports to Britain in future would bo in the State's hands, and the.full benefit of reduced tarria-ge and cost would accrue to tho . Btate, and not to private individuals, The system adopted; by the Tonnage Committee would be continued, with the condition that requisitioned vessels ', ' would be required to provide the necessary epace at fixed rates. Aniangements would he made to secure a regu- ' lar supply to the United Kingdom during the transition period. . Iff. Wilt Thome asked, whether the Board of Trade was empowered to compel shipowners to carry wheat and flour from America in preference to non- i essential goods.- '. ' ', , -"V ",' ' Mr. Runcimffih replied: ''It has the : power, and has exercised it. J ' Mr. Runciman, replying to a question whether he would prevent exploita- ' tiou by retailers, raidl that- the Gov- ' crnmont would not bring; wheat toßri- . lain and allow others |i filchtho advantage, from ..the consumer.