PEACE-TIME FOOD CONTROL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 149, 19 March 1919, Page 4

PEACE-TIME FOOD CONTROL

PROPOSALS OP THFJ CONSUMERS' COUNCIL. The Consumers' Council of the British Ministry of Food recently appointed 11 special sub-committee to consider which of the 'measures taken by the Ministry during the war for' the control of piices and the distribution of food should be continued ili peace time. The sub-corn* hutted lias submitted its report and the decisions have been placed before the now Food Controller. It.is understood that the committee favours the retention and extension, of the national kitchens and and recommends thnt the Government should'continue to buy and import essential'-foodstuffs from oversea with a view to .maintaining supplies and controlling prices.' . . . . ' ■ In connection with the permission given bv the Food Controller In the public to change the' 'retailers with whom they are-registered 1 for. rationed'foods, it'has been arranged that' a retailer if required bv the customer shall continue to supply him With the rationed food in question until the crid'of the we»lc in'which the old registration ceases. The complaints of grocers against a change .of retailer at a time when' rationing is supposed to be in its closing stages fmd little sympathy outside the trade. If peonle nro satisfied with the grocer and butcher with whom they h.ive been recristered' during the last year they are unlikely to transfer their registrations. Tf thev are rot satisfied, th<- fault may b" with the retailer, r,nd liVrtv to to elsewhere ought not to b» withheld. -Capricious transfers are not likelv to lie numerous, and with the "McntiMi of tradesmen who by incivility or lack of enterprise in conductin * their business have offended considerable numbers of customers, the clerical work put. on the retailors by the concessinn will not lie K serious matter Retailers who find that the number of th'eir' rfcisfored customers has increased to an extent which prevents them from meeting authorised demands out o f existin,■dinnlies will' be sunplied on communication with their local food committee.s, with supplementary buying i*rn ta and any other necessary documents.