FOOD HOARDERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1826, 14 May 1918, Page 1

FOOD HOARDERS.

MARIE CORELLI IN TROUBLE. .. “I AM A PATRIOT.” London, January 8. Though it is generally accepted that there is sufficient food in thq country to obviate any possibility of national starvation before, the next harvest, the inequalities of distribution have caused a good deal of bitterness. During the last few weeks the intense cold has greatly increased the hardships of the people who have to spend most of’ the forenoon in queues to get their small share of margarine, sugar, and, latterly, of meat, and if Mr Lloyd George is well in touch with public opinion as he is generally given credit for, he must have had some anxious nights lately. The queue business has, of course, been fully reported to Berlin, and the German papers nowadays show a distinct vein of optimism based on the alleged starvation of the British people. It is rather timely, for there is the very best evidence that Germany herself is this winter feeling the pinch of food shortage in such a way as to constitute a factor in the war situation. In spite of our hopes based on this position in earlier years, it has never been a factor of any value until now.

Last week-end the shopping centres of London bore the aspect, quite out of keeping with the official assurances that there is plenty of food in the country. On Saturday morning the majority of the food shops in the suburbs were closed altogether, placards on the doors bearing the sterotyped inscription, “No butter, no margarine, no sugar,” etc. But the trouble had extended for the first time to the meat shops.

For the last few weeks meat has been getting increasingly scarce, and the butchers have been filling their windows with rabbits, ox-tails, liver, and even lights, and with an unusually large supply of pork—or alleged pork—sausages. By raidday, however, very many of them were sold out, and in many homes, throughout London at any rate, the week-end was a meatless one. As there is no evidence at all that this deprivation has extended (o the middle and upper classes, there was naturally very great discontent, which expressed itself in a few minor riots in the shopping centres. RATIONING COMING, Like the mirage, I he fear, or lo be more correcl, the hope, of compulsory rationing is si ill in the future. Lord Rhondda, who has not even gol his sugar rationing machinery to'work yel, has now declared that there will be general rationing “if Cabinet approves,” and elaborate schemes have been published for carrying it out. Nine out of ten peo-. pie only want to see it brought in, as it is quite evident that thy distribution of food supplies and milk today is far from equitable, and is hitting the poorer classes very severely. Meanwhile we continue to have our regular crop of food hoarders, and it is satisfactory lo see an increasingly healthy attitude on I he part of the Bench towards the culprits. At Walsall a metal refiner, named John Thomas, was found guilty, and sentenced to six months’

imprisonment and a fine of £SO with costs. This beautiful gentleman pleaded that, “in accordance with a benevolent practice, he wished to be able, through the agency of the Church, to distribute comforts among the poor, to which end he had built into his cellars, behind walls which were carefully whitewashed, a cache which included 42411). of tea, 3111 b. of bacon and ham, 1751 b. of flour, 323 tins of meat and fish, 127 tins of-tomatoes and fruit, 133 lb. of biscuits, 1271 b. of sugar, 449 lb v of peas, beans, and oats, 1241 b. of syrup, 9G tins of condensed milk, 1001 b. of nuts, 9 sacks of potatoes, 36 bottles of ale, 10 of champagne, 156 of other wine, 4 of brandy, 12 of rum, and 14 of whisky. The defendant’s store of foodstuffs was shared by the Walshall Committee among necessitous people.

A schoolmaster in the north was punished for having 2ewt of sugar more than his allowance.

Lady Mabel Gore Langton was fined £BO for hoarding 1251 b. of tea, 351 b. of cofi'ee, 231 b. of currants, 20 lb. of sugar, and other commodities in proportion. The Bench confiscated 1231 b of the tea.

The most interesting case was that of Miss Marie Corelli, who has been lined £SO on one of three summonses. Inspectors from the Ministry of Pood found that whereas her household at Stratford-on-Avon was entitled to 321 b. of sugar for the months of September to November, she actually obtained 183 lb, independent of preserving sugar, to which she was entitled, and by means of which she made 4751 b. of jam. She had been obtaining sugar both locally and from London, When the constable appeared to make enquiries she objected indignantly: “I hear you have been accusing, me of hoarding. It has come to a fine thing if a woman cannot live in their homes without being interfered with by the police,” she said. “It’s a lie. The tea has not been delivered here. Besides, I am a patriot, and would not think of hoarding. I think you police are overstepping you]’ duty in visiting my house. You are upsetting the country altogether with your food orders and what not. Lloyd George will be resigning tomorrow, and there will be a revolution in England in less than a week.” Miss Corelli’s counsel contended that there had been no secrecy or attempt at concealment.