New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-14

product only, there being no restriction
on the use OF homemade butter. As
matter of fact, virtually no butter is
being made IN the United Kingdom
these days, SO that the consumer has
to depend upon margarine and foreign
butter.
Little Butter La Made
The reason there is so little home
produced butter on the market is that
the retail price. approximately go cents
pound, bears no relation to the
actual cost Of butter to the farmer.
This month farmers can sell milk at
Ga cents gallon, and it takes 21a
gallons of milk to produce a pound
ing at its true eesnomic value it would
be about S1.24 per pound.
Until recently the sugar ration was
twelve ounces for each person per
week, but owing to the shortage this
allowance has been decreased to eight
ounces, and is expected to remain at
that mark for many months. The
amount allowed to the confectionery
and sweets trades has been reduced
by % per cent and a further reduc-
ton is expected with the new year.
Butchers meat was rationed until q
few days ago, each person being
allowed 40 cents worth a week. In
consequence of the receipt recently Of
from Australia and New Zealand it
was found possible to remove all
rationing restrictions, and the Food
Ministry has expressed the hope that
people will relieve the food situation
by eating more meat, which is welcome
advice for England.
Despite the small ration, only about
80 per cent of the meat allowance was
being demanded by ticket holders each
week This was due either to a change
Of habits since the beginning of the
war or TO the high cost. Whenever q
butcher had q balance of meat left over
at the weekend he was permitted to
sell il TO any che of his customers, ir-
respective of whether they had already
had their ration or not. In this way
some people were able to exceed the
amount provided for by their permits.
Beer Sale Restricted
The sale Of beer and spirits is still
restricted IN quantity and the strength
Of both beer ana whisky is much be-
low the pre-war average. AS result,
IL is said, there has been an increase in
sobriety. whisky is at present about
30 per cent under proof. Alcoholic
drinks can only be purchased between
noon and $3.50 D. m. and between and
10 o'clock at night
The Food Ministry still fixes whole
sale prices for a number Of other com
modities, and the ministry is the actual
purchaser and distributor of cheese
bacon, ham, lard. dried fruits, bread
butter, cocoa-powder. condensed mill
and canned fish. The fixing of the
maximum price does not prevent the
sale Of goods for sum below that
amount, and in many cases foodstufs
are being vended much below the limit
Fixed by law.
The ministry is believed to be the
largest in the world. Its annual ex-
penditure is about 100000 600 The
object Of the department is not t.
make a profit, but in transactions O,
This magnitude it is impossible to make
both sides Of the account balance.
The actual figures are not yet avail
able, bat it is expected that the prof.
this year Will not exceed $2,5O0,OOG
Last year there was a profit Of abou.
S35 100000 the whole Of which was
expended during the summer in supply
ing certain articles of food below their
cost price. Thus the profit does not
enrich the Treasury but goes entirely
for the benefit of the consumer