MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 April 1917, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

FOOD RESTRICTIONS

A WARNING NOTE. Received April 20, 0.20 p.m. Router Service. London, April 28. _ The House of Lords debated the food limitation proposals. Lord Devonporfc impressed' the necessity of a reduction in the consumption of bread to four pounds per head weekly. Meat consumption had, he said, been considerably reduced and the sugar allowance must ha reduced by half a pound weekly. It, would depend on the people's consumption of bread and other foodstuffs within the next two iuontrs whether compulsory rationing would be necessary. He 'warned the country that in the meantime the machinery for rationing has been organised, and declared that | if diminution was not accomplished they would not get through to next harvest except with severe.privation. EMPIRE PRESS UNION. ENTERTAINS WAR CONFERENCE MEMBERS. Received April 2(J, 2.25 p.m. London, April 25. , The Empire Press Union gave a luncheon to the War Conference, delegates at the Savoy Hotel. Lord Burnhani presided, and, there were a hundred guests, including Messrs Long and Austen Chamberlain, the High Commissioners, British and Indian editors and Dominions pressmen.

Lord Burnham urged tho need for a better news service between the United Empire. The cables were now so congested that tjiey could :iot get through more than one-third of the usual quantity of iews. He advocated an All-Red cable.

Sir Robert Borden said the step taken by calling a War Cabinet marked a constitutional development. The Empire would proceed along the path of equal nationhood, and communication ami transportation were vital factors in order to keep the Empire together, Canada would figlit until Germany was beaten.

Received April 2G, 5.6 p.m. • London, April 25. ■ At tlie press luncheon the Hon. W. F. Massey eulogised: the press of the Southern hemisphere for its high tone and fairness. He regretted the. paucity of Dominion news in the British newspapers, and said that the matter of better cable communication required to be taken up I b' r the different Governments. Inferring to Anzao Day, hoped that Galiipoli would not he left to a foreign country. Sir James Meston said that the bringing of Indian Dominion representatives into the conference had done mucli to remove the existing misunderstanding. He hoped the suggestion of a parliamentary visit to India would include a Dominions' delegation ;tnd also press representatives, and that the visit would be before the next conference. General Smuts insisted on determined warfare, so as not to give the enemy a chance again of foecoßiiiig a world scourge. STATEMENTS IN THE HOUSE. Received April *2B, 5.5 p.m. 'London, lApril 25. In the House if Commons Lord Robert Cecil denied that America liad entered a formal alliance with Britain. Mr. Bonar Law announced that the Imperial war cabinet yesterday discussed Lord Burleigh's committee resolution? vnd he will maike a statement in the House on Friday. He further said that till Government could not adopt the suggestion to threaten to take reprisals on Cologne cathedral i" the Laon cathedral suffered at German hands. CORN PRODUCTION BILL. Received April 27, 12.15 a.m. London, April 26. In the House of Commons the Corn P~oduetion Bill was read a second time by 28C votes to 27. The Labor Party intends to make ail amendment ir committee to increase the minimun. wage of agriculturalists to 30s. SUGGESTED CROP DESTRUCTION. BY MEANS OF FIR.E-BALLS. London, April 25. Lord CaMiorf proposes tli&t the aeroplanes of the Allies should drop fire-balls in the Rhiue Valley and on the Hungarian Plains to destroy the crops. These .'o like tinder when ripe. The apparatus must be prepared and experiments must be made immediately, as tlie rye harvest in Germany begins in Juno.

FIXING OF CORN PRICES. MEETS SOME OPPOSITION. London, April 25. Ifl the Houso of Oomnioiis the debate on the Com Production Bill showed strong Liberal opposition to the proposal to guaawutee minimum prices to the farmer. The Nationalists support-, ed the Government. Mr. Ihmciman said that national security would be better achieved l by storing wheat in notional holding sufficient far consumption.

ARMY BREAD RATION'RE- ' DUCED. MORE MEAT PROVIDED. London, April 26. It is reported tlia.t the authorities, are reducing the bread ration in tho army owing; to the shortage of wheat and flour. The meat raAion will be correspondingly increased. The stools of moat have_ recently been rawed <s?"yag to the killing of cattle,, %o sairo fexkting stuffs andt tho system of'roeatless days.

THE NATION NEWSPAPER. London, April 25. In tho ,House of Lcwds, Lofd Derby said that tlio prohibition of tho foreign circulation of Jho Ifatfoa wna absol.titoij justified. not' be' rescind**!.