MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 March 1917, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

/ FOOD PRICES. RETAILERS DISREGARD ORDERS. i RISKING PROSECUTION. 7 Received March 5, 5.35 p.m. London, March 4. Newspapers point out that there has been a considerable advance in the prices of foodstutl's since the announcement of the restriction of imports, regardless of Lord Devonport's warning that speculative buying and cornering of foodstuffs with a view to raising prices would not be tolerated. The increases do not merely affect the articles restricted, but apply particularly to meat, cheese, semolina, all vegetables, bacon, and rice. Some retailers I are selling potatoes above the fixed •price, risking prosecution despite the 'fines imposed on several offenders in some quarters. The newspapers urge that, immediate steps be taken to prevent speculation and food hoarding. NEW ZEALANDERS ENTERTAINED BY ROYALTY. 'London, March 4. The King and Queen entertained Mr., Mrs. and Miss Massey, Sir Joseph and Lady Ward, and the following New Zealand officers: Major Griffiths, Captains J. Duncan, Christian, M. .Tones, Chaplin and Dobson, Lieutenants R. Wood, Jacobs, Hewitt, Ziesler, Pile, Morgan, Tipping, Skelly, Fordham, Copywright, Fryer, Clayton, J. Walker, H. Gray, and S. Mac Donald. SUCCESSFUL MISSION TO RUSSIA London, March 4. The Anglo-French-Italian mission to Russia lias returned to London. Members expressed satisfaction at the results. ' POTATO CRISIS. London, March 4. The potato crisis has now abated, and many markets, including Covent Garden, are almost without a supply. Retailers in many towns have restricted purchasers to the smallest quantities. PA'FEP. RESTRICTIONS. London, March 3. The Press Bureau reports that th& BoaYd of Trade restricts paper posters te tiOO square inches ,and confines the lontents to a bill on newspaper publishing premises and posters as to the sale of goods to retailers' premises. Trade price-lists will not be delivered by post or otherwise unless in response to a written request from each recipient, but will be transmitted from trader to trader or abroad. ECONOMIES, RESTRICTION AND PRODUCTION. London, March 3. Ku.-provincial dailies have increased the price by a halfpenny and three weeklies by a penny. The paper commission is requiring newspapers to declare their stocks of paper. Although a -meatless day has not been ordered, several West >End restaurants are following the example of the clubs and refusing to serve meat on Fridays. ' Many thousands are working in the potato patches. Some London firms will be closed on Saturday mornings to enable week-end potato digging. Newspapers print instructions regarding vegetable growing, which the Ministry regards as of valuable assistance. The poor law guardians have been instructed to revise the workhouse dietaries, varying flour, meat, and sugar substitutes. The maximum price regulations have produced a crop of prosecutions, the magistrates seriously viewing the offences. INCREASED WAGES. London, March 3. The Board of Trade's Committee on Production has awarded all engineering and shipbuilding workers an increase of 5s weekly to assist in meeting the increased cost of living. Another award provided for a minimum advance for time-rate workers in the engineering trade of 7s, milking a total war advance \ cf 12s. Piece workers in the engineering and shipbuilding trades have already i received ten per cent, advance. DECORATIONS FOE NEW ZEALANDERS/ . London, March 4. Three Military Crosses and one Distinguished Conduct Medal have been awarded to New Zealanders. A War Office despatch mentions the valuable services rendered by the New Zealand Nurses: S. Anderson, V. Bell, Beswick, Grigor, Haste, A. Mackay, V. McLean, J. McCrae, Metherell, Poplewell, ' Stucker, Wilkin and A. Wood. ( , i