MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 December 1917, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

NAVAL AND MILITARY SITUATION. STATEMENT BY BRITISH PREMIER. TIIE FOOD PROBLEM. Received London, Dee. 20. 'Mr. Lloyd George addressed a full House oil (lie naval and military situation. He first touched on the food problem, which two circumstances aggravated, the livsl being the failure to get butter and margarine from Holland and Denmark, and the second the Allied i'uod shortage being greater than anticipated. For these reasons Britain was compel led to sacrilice some of her own resources in order to supply lie r allies. The responsibility rested with those possessing stocks of tea, margarine, and butter, to ensure a fair distribution. The people did not mind the shortage bo much as the suspicion that others were getting more than their share. He hoped it would bo unnecessary to control the larg" multiple stores, and if they took steps to secure equal distribution there would be no need for the queues and the discontent which t'liev created.

THE SUBMARINE MENACE. BEING GRAPPLED WITH , SUCCESSFULLT. Received Dec. 22, 1 a.m. London, Dec. 21. Mr. Lloyd George said the food question was steadily improving. Although they were unable to obtain adequate labor or steel for shipbuilding, this was being remedied. Construction was increasing at a greater rate in 1017 than in the boom year of 1013. Since June the shipping losses had decreased steadily. Our margin of loss was now i*;to\v. The estimate of our shipbuilding programme was not quite realised. Although the tonnage was down 20 pev cent., the loss of tonnage of imports was six per cent, compared with l!>lfi. Thus really they had grappled with the most menacing situation with which the nation bad been confronted during the war. Practically the whole of the nation's shipping had been requisitioned. A Blue Book states the sinking of submarines is increasing. THE GERMAN COLONIES. FATE SETTLED'BY PEACE CONGRESS. Received Dec. 22, 1 a.m. 1 London, Dec. 21. Mr. Lloyd George stated that an international peace congress must settle the fate of the German colonies,' naving regard to the wishes of the inhabitants themselves. SCIENCE AND COLD STORAGE. A PROFESSOR'S SUGGESTIONS, London, Dec. 20. At a meeting of the Society of Arts, Professor Wemyss Anderson read a .paper on science and the cold storage, industry. He pointed out that in pure science Great Britain had done little or nothing for the commercial preservation of foodstuffs, 'and suggested the establishment of institute of research and schools of refrigeration in London and Liverpool, also facilities of research in all the seats of learning. He mentioned that the Government was taking up the matter. RESTRICTIONS ON PAPER-MAKING MATERIALS. Received Dec. 22, 12.40 a.m. London, Dee. 21. The importation of paper-making materials will be reduced from 3Tarch 1 equivalent to two-thirds of the previous twelve months' importations. THE POPE'S PEACE ACTIVITIES. Received Dec. 22, 12.40 a.m. London, Dec. 21. i Lord Robert Cecil, replying to a question, said the treaty wifii Italy was not /the reason for a reply not having been sent to the Pope's peace note. The object of the treaty was to secure that the terms of peace should be settled by the belligerents. There was no intention, however, of placing any disability on the beneficent activities of the Holy See in regard to the conclusion of peace. RETIREMENT OF GENERALS. Received Dec. 22, 12.40 a.m. London, Dec. 21. Answering a. question as to the number of generals permanently retired following the Cainbrai operations, Mr. l'onar Law said lie could not give the information or make any statement regarding the inquiry that had been ordered. THE MAN-POWER BILL. London, Dee. 81. Mr. Bonar Law announced that he was introducing the Man-Power Bill after the recess. EXPLOSIVES WORKS WRECKED. London, Dec. 20. Official: An explosion wrecked the. buildings at explosives works northward of London. There were no fatalities. THE FOOD PROBLEM. London, Dec. 20. Lord Rhondda is arranging to fix the January maximum prices for various grades of home live stock. He will impose from the New Year one meatless day per week, on which no cooked or uncooked meat shall be .sold, He also proposes to limit retail sales after January 13 to three-quarters of the sales in the month of October. ON THE SEA. ITALIAN LOSSES. London, Dec. 20. Italian shipping returns: Arrivals [M. sailings 333, sinkings 2 sailers over and 1 under 100 tons. FRENCH LOSSES. London, Dec. 20, The French weekly shipping returns are as follow: Arrivals 981 Departures „ 802 Losses over 1600 tons 0 Losses under 1000 tons 1 VaauttMMiuUy #ttaok*d 1