STATE FOOD BUNGLING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2126, 11 May 1920, Page 1

STATE FOOD BUNGLING.

GRAVE CHARGES OF MISMANAGEMENT. HUGE SUPPLIES GOING TO ♦ , WASTE. London, March 4. Grave (“barges of incapacity and bungling were made yesterday by Lord Devonport, the First Food Controller, against the Government in their management of food supplies and other goods. According to Lord Devonport, the London Docks are choked with consignments of meat, lea, sugar, and wool that could easily have been available for the public bul for State mismanagement. 11 is Lordship asserts that by proper organisation the cost of meat might be much lower than it is to-day, He urges the Government to pul their large stocks on the market and face the loss, as they have already made heavy profits out of moat.

A full dress debate on prices is to take place in the House of Commons on Monday week'. Meanwhile intimation is made that a limit is to be put upon the potato profits. Startling charges of incapacity on the part of the Government in dealing with food supplies and other goods were made by Lord Devonporl, a former hood Controller, at the Dockers’ Inquiry in London yesterday. Lord Devon port is chairman of (he Port of London Authority, and he slated (hat then' were 1 at present in port or in .sight eleven months’ supply of meat, ‘2,000,000 tons of wool, a congestion of lea, 100 much sugar. Lord Devonport was asked what, in his opinion, was the cause of the congestion of the Port: of London. “The real cause (if the'congest ion," he replied, “is the fact that the total stuff coming in is so much greater than the storage available. There is at present, for instance, 150,000 tons of meat in cold storage, sufficient with homekilled to last for three months. In addition, there is 100,000 tons waiting to be be discharged, sullicient for about another three months. In Australasia there is already awaiting shipment a further 25,700 tons. When lha.l arrived the country would have a further two months’ supplies, including, of course, homekilled meal. Fourthly, Australasia is now killing this season’s sheep, and it is estimated that at (lie end of the season it had available 148,900 tons, sufficient with home-killed for another three, months' supply. All this was visible six monihs ago when the Government were warning people that there was going to he a meat shortage. (Laughter.) L is all due to the Government: bungling the bringing over of the meat. This means extra charges on demurrage, etc., and it is all passed on,to,the consumer. By proper organisation the cost of meat might be much lower than it is to-day. Then there is the congestion of wool —two million tons of it. We tell the Government the utmost limit of our accommodation, and they instantly hurl twice the quantity at us, and congestion ensues. “Before the war,” added Lord Devonport, “we never had congestion, and it now arises from ill-ihought-out plans of the Government. This sort of thing demoralises everything, and holds up the docks. Then there is tea, an article which is now causing great congestion. While we were full up with tea —sufficient for many months’ supply —the Government sent -a iiotilla 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 London by rail. Though we were full uij, with sugar, the Government are now bringing over 50,000 tons to be dealt with next month. There is no reason why this quantity should not bo distributed over several .months. We should be overwhelmed with sugar, and may have to lock and bar the port against it.” Lord Shaw (President of the Court) : What do you suggest should be clone to relieve the congestion and improve the accommodation "I 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 back. (Hear, hear).

In the course of cross-examina-tion by Mr Bevin, Lord Devonport explained why the Port of London Authority refused to negotiate when a Government Department intervened. “We told the Government,” he said, “to gqt away so that we could settle our own disputes. When we have the Government running our labour affairs, we are going to resist vehemently at all timer-.”

The.question of the ability of labour to take part in'the management of industry resulted in a lively, pus-

sage of arms. “You don’t suggest,” said Mr Bovin, “that representatives of labour would be inferior for management to representatives of capital?” Lord Devonpo.rt; I have experience of labour representation on the Port of London Authority. We had four Labour representatives. If you ask me Avhether three out of those four would make splendid managers I join issue with you, and I don’t agree. This is only my opiiyon, but among the trading or capital class represented on that body I think that man-for man I would pick out three better men than your Labour representatives.