ENEMY’S FOOD SHORTAGE.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 23 January 1917, Page 5

ENEMY’S FOOD SHORTAGE.

DISTRESS IN AUSTRIA.

LONDON, Jan. 20. In connection with the Austro-Ger-raan food conferences, the details available in London show that in Austria the distress is acute. The potato famine is specially severe. Vienna had been promised, 283 truck loads daily in November and December,, but she only got on an average ninety-five. Wince Christmas there had been a further diminution in the supplies, and the prices of the principal food stuffs were practically prohibitive. Most of the people in Hungary wore scarcely better off than those; of the professional classes, and are bitterly crying out. The clergy of Buda-Pcsth declared to the news- | paper ‘ ‘ Aznjsag' ’ that they cannot feed and clothe the children, while widows exist iu the lowest stage of misery. The “Azujsag” inquiries in other directions reveal the same distress, notably, that teachers, civil servants, and even judges are resorting to trades in order to eke out their resources. CRISIS IN GERMANY. MANY LARGE BAKERIES CLOSED. LONDON, Jan. 21. The Daily Telegraph ’s Rotterdam correspondent states that the population of Berlin is in the throes of a food crisis more serious than anything yet experienced. Many large bakeries have been closed. The authorities tell the people that the difficulties arc due to frosty weather and traffic hindrances, but the public realise that the period of unprecedented privation against which they have been warned, has commenced earlier than anticipated, and the vaunted German organisation has broken down. The authorities have ordered an inventory of all the stocks in the Empire for the purpose of persuading the people that the semi-famine i s partly due to the producers holdingup foodstuffs in the hope of higher maximum prices. This is untrue. There were unprecedented scenes in Berlin during the last fortnight. Long queues of women attended the bakeries, but were unable to obtain bread in exchange for cards. The bakers explain that they no' longer receive sufficient potatoes to mix with the flour, while no extra allowance of flour is given. Berlin is also suffering from a great shortage of milk, due to the snowstorms, and the public arc paying fifty pfon- , nms per litre. The Food Department has ordered that in future the popular liven and blood sausages shall contain 12 per cent, of bran in addition to other material not customarily used for human consumption. A proclamation in the garrison towns asks civilians to undertale the duties of guarding the railways and bridges, such civilians to carry arms and be alloved ,o make arrests.