Not being satisfied with the potato muddle, Lord Devonport has
turned his attention, amongst other things, to tea, and another fiasco is on the tapis. When he took this in hand tea could be bought by the public at 2s. per'pound. There has been no better- managed or cleaner trade than the tea trade. 'There had been no speculation or profiteering going on, and the suggestions made to the contrary were devoid of truth. The Food Controller, however, urged, he said, by the Cabinet, summoned deputations of the three branches of the trade in order to ensure, he said, tea for the public at 2s. a pound. After many conferences and veiled threats producers agreed to allow forty per cent. of their imports to be taken over at a shilling per pound. At the same time a limitation of exports from India and Ceylon was announced. So on. the one hand steps are taken to restrict production and a consequent rise in the cost of production is in sight, whilst on the other hand there is a selling-price enforced for forty pc-r cent. of the crop, which must bring about a rise in the price of the remaining sixty per cent. The original idea of a 2s. price for the public was rapidly thrown to the winds, and the arrangement made with the producers was on the basis of a 2s. 2d. minimum figure, but now we are told this is to be raised to 2s. 4d. The result of it all is the complete disorganization of both the pro- ducers' and retailers' businesses, and for the public a minimum price of 2s. 4d., or fourpence more per pound than that prior to the rood Controller's intervention I—I am, Sir, &c., J. E. A.
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