THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 1920. THE FOOD SHORTAGE.

Wairarapa Age, 1 April 1920, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 1920. THE FOOD SHORTAGE.

In discussing the food shortage, the Taranaki Herald suggests that there is little hope of improvement in the near, future. It pointa out that tho price of sugar was raised the other day in Australia from 3UI to Gd per lb, and it is still rationed in Britain. Tho shortage, of course, is almost eutirely due to the fact that the sugar beet industry, which'provided half the world's sugar, practically came to a standstill in Europe during the war. Great efforts arc being made to extend the area under cane sugar, and it is probable that this year the production of beet sugar in Germany, France, and Austria will reach something like its normal level. Thus, before the end of the year the supplies of sugar should be more nearly equal to the demand. Wheat is still scarce, but in this case also great efforts are being made to increase supplies. A bumper harvest in Europe and North America tins year would be a godsend, but it will be si>: months before we can expect the northern wheatfieids to be harvested. The supplies of meat, butter, cheese, leather, and wool car.not increase very rapidly, as it will take some years to reconstitute tho flocks and herds that have been consumed or destroyed during the war. In the case of both wool and cotton the mills at present seem unable to turn the raw material available into the finished product rapidly enough, but the production of machinery must be going ahead with all possible rapidity, so that a better position should be reached soon. tfo far as cotton is concerned, the supply is very deficient, and it is imperatively necessary that the area under this crop should be increased as rapidly as possible With the whole world at work in the business of production, and with reasonable good fortune in the seasons, there is every cause to -believe that the universal shortages will gradually be overcome. Though no immediate prospect of greater supplies and lower prices is \isiblo, it is certain that wc have about reached the maximum of scarcity, and that six months hence prices will lie on the downward grade.