§ Mr. WRIGHTasked the Food Controller whether he is aware of the general sense of dissatisfaction amongst home-producers of meat and milk at their failure to obtain supplies of concentrated feeding-stuffs; and if he will state the reasons why these feeding-stuffs cannot be obtained?
§ Mr. CLYNESA certain degree of dissatisfaction is inevitable, but it should be realised that the shortage of concentrated feeding-stuffs is due to the paramount requirements of the American military programme. Tonnage which would have otherwise been available for feeding stuffs has, by the decision of the Government, been allocated to the transport of American troops. So far as the President of the Board of Agriculture and myself are concerned, we could only accept this decision, which clearly tends towards shortening the War, and do everything in938W our power to remedy the difficulties with which farmers were bound to be faced. We forthwith arranged a scheme for the equitable distribution of such feeding-stuffs as were available, and with a view to encouraging farmers to hold back their cattle at the present time, we propose to increase the prices for cattle and sheep as from December.