Lord Rhondda made his statement on the control of our
food supplies in the House of Lords yesterday week. Briefly summarized, his proposals are as follows. Prices am to be fixed for those articles of prime necessity over the supply of which he can secure effective control at all stages from the producer to the retailer. Illegal profiteering is to be punished by imprisonment and not ly fine. Speculation or unnecessary intertrading in wheat by middlemen is to be prevented. Bakers obtaining flour sold at a uniform price fixed by the Government will he expected to sell the quartern loaf for a maximum of ed. cash, and the price of meat has been so fixed that at least ed. per pound should eventually be saved to the purchaser of prime joints. Extensive powers of food control will be given to local Focd Committees, consisting of not more than twelve members appointed by Local Authorities, and including, where practicable, at least one representative of Labour and one semen. Arrangements will be made to ration hotels, restaurants, and manufacturers with sugar, and every householder will be asked to apply to the local Food Committee for a sugar card. The householder will then take his card to the retailer with whom Ise wishes to deal and register with him. The object of this scheme is to secure that whatever supplies are available should be divided equally among all classes.
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