BRITISH FOOD MINISTRY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 195, 13 May 1919, Page 5

BRITISH FOOD MINISTRY

ITS WORK REVIEWED. London,. May C (delayed). Speaking in the House of. Commons on a vote/of ■ for salaries under tho v Food Ministry, Mr. G. 11. Honoris, Food Controller, churned that tho rationing' and distribution of food Lad been successful. Tho Ministry's trading in 1917 and 1918 showed a. not profit of- .£132,000 on a turnover of .067,000,000. -The control had effectively steadied tho.rising of food prices, which, were lower in Britain than elsewhere. In the first year of tho war prices rose 3 per cent, per month. Since the armistice they had decreased by 1 por cent, per'month. It was vain to liopo for great further decreases, be- ■ cause peaco would involve .tho opening of the world's markets, which would sub- , iecfc Britain to world prices for imported articles. Tho Government during the war had handled 85 per cent of Britain's food, and had fixed the'-prices for 94. per cent.' of tho foodstuffs, only excepting luxuries. Tho Ministry, will cease operations in November. Mr. ,1. R. dynes'; (ex-Food Controller), speaking in'the House of Commons, urged tho retention of some form of food control to protect, the people from trusts and combines. - •■■ Mr. J. -Hodge pleaded for expedition in bringing wheat from Australia and . Argentina, with n view to removing tho burden of tho bread subsidy.-Aus.-N.Z. Cablo A6sn. '