MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1918, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

INTERNMENT OF ALIENS. NO EXEMPTION WITHOUT STRONG REASON. Received July 12, 5.5 p.m. London, July 11. In the House of Commons, Sir G. Cave said that the exemption of enemy aliens from internment was being drastically revised. All would be interned unless strong reasons were shown for exemption.—Press Assoc. BRITAIN'S FOOD SUPPLY. CRITICAL PERIOD PASSED. RELIEF FROM AMERICA. London, June 30. It i 3 officially admitted that the position regarding food during tie first months of the year was extremely critical, The country was consuming 450,000 tons of food a month above the margin of safety. This was partly owing to the shortage of supplies from America, and also to severe snowstorms preventing shipment. Tho ports became congested with shipping awaiting the arrival of snowed-up train-loads. The Times states that the efficient feeding of the Allies trembled in the scales. Australasian meat, wheat and butter might as well have not existed, because the only hope was the restriction of shipping to the shortest routes. A severe system of rationing waa introduced, but the late Lord Rhondda, the Food Controller, did not know where he would get the limited rations. He ordered compulsory mining to the extreme limit, and everybody felt the scarcity, but few knew of the actual acuteness and difficulties of the position. Instead of an expected 1,100,000 tons of breadstuff's from America in January, only 680,000 arrived; instead of 60,000 tons of bacon, only 11,000 came to hand. ' The reserves dwindled and vanished. An ' improvement began in April, when, largely owing to Lord NortbcKffe's railway ; policy, and Mr. Hoover's voluntary < wheatless campaign in 'America, supplies increased. The outstanding fact in the emergency relief has been the great shipments of American bacons and hams, which have been pouring into the country in 1 enormous quantities. j The situation has been so relieved that 1 everybody is able to buy cheap pork, j tongues, and sausages without coupons, • and also frequently chickens, which drug ; the market. ' The bread is still dark brown and 1 difficult to digest, but there is no need to-day of serious suffering. Nearly all ' the fruit crops are being seized for mak- 1 ing jam for the army. Strawberries are 1 purchasable only on Saturdays. Simi- ' larly, sugar is dear, and tobacco is scarce ' and high-priced. The police are preventing the use of motor cars for non-war purposes. The most difficult test of the morale of the people remains in the breaking up of hundreds of homes weekly for the i army, and the consequent collapse, of j businesses, restriction of incomes, and 1 the anxiety of wives and children. , Nevertheless a game spirit prevails, and there is a singular lack of depression. The extent of food purchases abroad is indicated by the fact that the wheat executive spent £375,000,000 in twenty months on cereals in America and the Argentine.