41. Major DAVIESasked the Parliatary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he has any official information showing that, in order to promote the efficient conduct of the War, the people of the Commonwealth of Canada have prohibited the manufacture and sale of alcoholic liquor; and whether it is proposed that a similar course should be taken to safeguard our supplies of food in this country?
§ Mr. CLYNESI have no official information to the effect indicated in the first part of the question. Various Canadian provinces are, and have been for some time, prohibition provinces, and the Governor-General in Council, on 2nd November, 1917, prohibited the use in the Dominion of grain or food substances for the distillation of potable liquors, and on 27thNovember, 1917, restricted malting, and the use of malt, to an amount not exceeding the total of the year ending 31st March, 1916. The second part of the question hardly appears to arise. I may, however, point out that there has in this country been no distilling for potable spirits for a considerable period, and that malting has now been prohibited until further order. This will not interfere with the present restricted output of beer, but any surplus stocks of barley not required for the purposes of brewing will thus become available for purposes of direct human consumption.
§ Mr. P. A. HARRISWill the hon. Gentleman consider the desirability of communicating with the Propaganda Department in order to make known what has been done in Canada, so as to influence public opinion in this country to economise in the destruction of food materials for alcohol?
§ Mr. CLYNESI will report that in the; proper quarters.
§ Sir J. JARDINEIn speaking of "this country" in regard to the prohibition of malting, does the hon. Gentleman include Scotland?
§ Mr. CLYNESCertainly.