STATE FOOD BUNGLING

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 193, 11 May 1920, Page 8

STATE FOOD BUNGLING

CHARGES OF MISMANAGEMENT MEAT, TEA, AND SUGAR HELD UP HUGE SUPPLIES GOING TO WASTE I , IN LONDON DOCK. ✓ .< -. \ Startling charges of incapacity on the , part of the Government, in dealing with , food supplies and otlior goods were made by Lord Devonport, a former Food'Con- \ trollcr, at ('he dockers' inquiry in London yesterday, the Glasgow "Daily Record" of March 4. Lord Devonport is chairman of the Port -of London !. Authority, and he stated that there wer* at presont in port or in sight j Eleven months' supply of meat. 2,000,000 tons of wool. [ A congestion of tea. i Too much sugar. l Lord Devonport was asked what, in his . opinion, was the cause of the congestion of the Tort of, London. "The real cause of the congestion," he ■ replied, "is the fact that tho total stud coming in is so much greater than tho j. storage available. ( Abundance of Meat. "There is at present, for instance, . 150,000 tons of meat in cold storage, sufficient, with home-killed, to last for three months. ; ""In addition there is 106,000 tons waiting to be discharged, sufficient for about "another three months, ■ "In Australasia there is already awaiting shipment a further 95,700 tons. When ■■ that arrived the country would have a further two months' supplies, including, of course, home-killed meat. "Fourthly, Australasia is now killing - this season's sheep, and it is estimated • that at the end of the season it had available, 148,900 tons, suffioient wi-h- ---»' home-killed for another three months' ;. supply. Government" Bungling. . "All this was visible six months ago - when the Government were warning peo- - pie that there was going,to bo meat ; shortage,. (Laughter.) t "It is oil due to Government bungling ; the bringing over of meat. This means : extra charges of demurrage, etc., and at I is all passed on. to the consumer. "By proper organisation the cost of ■ meat might be much lower than it is ; "Then Ithere 1b the congestion of wooltwo million tons of it. Wo tell the Government the utmost limit of onr accommodation, and they instantly hurl twice* .the quantity at us,- and congestion en"Before the war," added Lord Devonport, "we never had congestion, and it now arises from the. ill-thought-out plans of the Government. This sort of thing i demoralises everything and holds up the docks. • i Tea and Sugar. ; "Then'thero'is tea, an articlo which ■ is now causing great congestion. "While we were full up with tea-tjuf- • ficient for many months' supply-tho Gov- : ernment sent .a flotilla of ships to the - East to bring over more tea. # "The other day eight tea ships were diverted to other ports, and, to the eye, the trouble was solved. But'it was not, it was worse, because all the tea was to come back to Loudon by ra.il. "Though we were full up with sugar, the Government are now 'bringing over 50,000 tons to be dealt with next month. i "There is no reason why this quantity should not be distributed over several i months. , , ... "Wo should be overwhelmed with sugar, and may have to look and bar the port against it." • Lord Shaw (President of the Court): What do you suggest should, he done to Telievo the congestion and improve tho ■ accommodation? . The Remedy. . Lord Devonport: The Government should put on the market their large stocks of meat and face the loss. They have made heavy profits out of it. In any case, they would get their money bock. (Hear," hear.)