LATE WAR NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 March 1917, Page 4

LATE WAR NEWS.

(PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYBIQHTI. If! THE COMMONS Food Shorings -LONDON, Maren 23 In the House or Commons, Mr H. A.- Watt urged that owing to submarinings the food position is sqrious. and the Government should taken over the entire control, and deal ouit tooa through local authorities, as rationing is bound to come. Other members, complained of itho had distribution of coal. Mr Roberts admitted that theie had been a coal shortage, owing <to transport difficulties, and if the war lasted through next winter it might bo necessary to give local authorities power to acquire and distribute coal supplies. Mr Bathurst, on behalf of the Food Controller, stated that the Food Controller had said there was no disguising the fact that the food outlook not wholly satisfactory, and the country would bo much better able to cope with the difficulties if tho food stringency, which was likely to develop, had been foreseen earlier in the war.

In spite of the shortage of tonnage there was actually les s scarcity of 100 a than with the poor of any of the belligerents, and it was not true to say that the hoarding of food was the fault of the rich. This was not limited to ono class, and nothing could be more dangerous at the present crisis than to exeno class prejudice. The Food Controller did not approve of the establishment of municipal depots, which would result in choas, and. divorcing the distribution of food from the natural commercial channels would mean setting up another machine, which would possess neither experience nor practical knowledge. If tho public used substitutes enormously for the next three months, tho supply of potatoes would be sufficient to carry us through until the new crop was ready. Even in the absence of potatoes and sugar the country would not be starving, and there would bo no causo for food riots.

Reduced Rations AMSTERDAM, March 23. Following the recent statement in the Prussian Diet that grain stocks' were less than generally believed, it is now announced that Prussian bread rations'are all reduced from April loth by a quarter.

Reduced Exports NEW YORK, March 23. Owing to the submarinings fhe food exports of the United States for February are reduced bv a third, and the total shipments dropped frim £128,750,000 to £93,300,000. FRENCH BATTLESHIP LOST Big Loss of Life PARIS, March 23. Official.—The battleship Danton w«e struck by two topedoes in tho Mediterranean on March 19th and sank in half an hour. 80-5 were saved and 296 drowned. ROTTERDAM, March 24. The 'Government lias refused Germany’s offer to Copenhagen of seven torpedoed Dutch ships.