Milk and Beef Quotas Major Elliot's announcement that the foreign
countries exporting milk- products to Great Britain will for three months restrict their export to 80 per cent. of the quantity which they sent us last summer marks a fresh step in the development of -his policy of limiting supplies. At the same time, chilled beef imports, from Argentina, are for the next six weeks to be reduced by 10 per cent. below the Ottawa maximum. From the farmer's stand- point, such arrangements are commendable, but the ordinary consumer must wonder whether prices can be kept from rising unduly while supplies are artificially restricted. In respect of home milk, dairy farmers and dairymen, with several independent members, are to constitute a committee to determine prices, and thus avoid the disputes common in past years. Here again the consumer's interest needs to be emphasized, for more milk would be drunk, especially by the children of the poor, if it were cheaper. Milk is but one of the foodstuffs whose prices will be affected by the Agricul- tural Marketing Bilk to which the House of Commons gave a third reading on Tuesday. Very much depends upon the good sense and moderation of. the farmers and merchants who, with State support, are now to regulate the domestic markets.
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