§ 43 and 44. Mr. WILLIAM THORNEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food (1) whether, seeing that the Government of Mr. Ryan in Queens-land have commandeered and placed under control 499 for local and imperial purposes the sheep and cattle of the Colony, suppressed every kind of profiteering, and are loading 90 per cent, of the total killings for imperial purposes at about 4¾d per lb. f.o.b., he will put British farmers under equally drastic regulations, compel in each county a fixed proportion of the cattle, sheep, and pigs to be marketed, commandeer all feeding stuffs, and arrange that speculative buying shall cease in Ireland and institute a regulation that all importations of cattle and sheep from Ireland shall be on Government account; and (2) whether, seeing that the Food Prices Committee recommended the opening of municipal shops and that the Queens-land Government compel the farmers to supply a fixed tonnage of meat for the consumption of the inhabitants of the Colony at 3d. and 3½d. per lb., which is sold in State-owned butchers' shops in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Towneville, and other towns, he will consider the advisability of copying the example set by the workmen's Government in Queens-land; and whether he will fix a date at which his Department will start selling meat to the population of East London?
§ 67. Captain CARR-GOMMasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, owing to the price of bacon on the London market, the retailers are buying smaller quantities of bacon than usual; and, if so, whether he proposes to take steps to reduce the price of this commodity?
§ Colonel GIBBSThe Food Controller has under his immediate personal consideration the general policy to be adopted for the control of prices and profits, and will make an announcement on the Subject at the earliest possible moment. In the meantime he hopes that Members will assist him in the very difficult work which he has just undertaken by refraining from putting questions of a kind which can only be answered when this general policy is determined.
§ 66. Sir STUART COATSasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether the plants for the cold storage of meat throughout the country are full; and how much is waiting in ships for discharge; whether these supplies have cost the Government on the average 5½d. per pound; and, if so, why, under the circumstances, English lamb is being retailed in parts of Surrey at over four times this price?
§ Colonel GibbsThe cold storage accommodation is not full, and there is at present only one meat ship with a cargo of 2,000–3,000 tons awaiting discharge. The details affecting the price of Colonial lamb have already been given to the House. The price of English lamb varies according to the market price from day to day, and is not at present under control.