MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 July 1918, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

THE FOOD SITUATION, ' OUTLOOK OHEEROT, Received July 21, 5.5 pjr London, July 2ft Air. R. E. Prothers (President of th» Board /f Agriculture), speaiking in the House of Commons, drew a cheerful picture of the food situation. Britain ba g now the highest acreage of corn crops ever recorded. France, Italy, and Greece have copied our agricultural methods. Given an average harvest, the Allies' ■ food position will be vastly better than between iaiO-19i1.7. Three thousand Gov- " Diriment tractors are working. Cattle have decreased, sheep are improving, and the decline in pigs has been arrested. Labor has been the greatest difficulty but 01,000 soldiers, 10,200 German prisoners and interned aliens and 300,000 women are employed on the land- * GENERAL ELECTION PKEDIOTBD.. Received July 21, -f£ .p.m. ' Londton, July 20Political prophets foreshadow a general election late in the autumn. Tho new register will be ready on October 1, whereafter even a minor crisis might precipitate a dissolution. It is conceivable that the Germans will make a strong effort for pea<e. whereon Mr. Lloyd George will seek ,!* opinion of the country.—Press Assoc.' STRIKE OF MOTION WORKERS), Received July 21, 55 p.m. London, July 20< The Ministry of Munitions announces that many skilled munition worker* at ' Coventry and other centres have tendered notices expiring next week, possibly involving the stoppage of the production of some of the most vital appliances and war munitions. The troublo is largely due to a misunderstanding regarding the distribution of skilled labor at various munition works.—Aus.-N.Z. Ca&ls A«tsoc. and Reuter. ' Received' July 2il, 5.5 pjn. .London, July 20< . After hearing the Ministry of Munition's statement concerning the Government's anxiety to secure tho most eooriomi."al use and distribution of labor, the amalgamated engineers urge memTiera to remain at work at this critical juncture. —Atis.-NZ. Cable Assoc, and Rente*. LARGER ISSUES OF FLOUR .AND BREAD. Received July 31, 55 p.m. London, July 20-' Mr. J. R. Clynes (Food Controller), speaking at Manchester, announced that ihe quality of the bread would shortly be improved by larger issues of flour, and wheat, as the reserves in Britain had now made tho country absolutely safe, even if the war should last for a considerable time. The qua!i'< of the meat would also bo improved. At present 70 ■per cent, of the meat was imported, but, lie hoped that shortly only 20 per ce;it. would be imported, the rest bein# homegrown. Cattle, which had been deliberately k<<pt back for fattening, would bo released.—Press Assoc.