Food In Hebrides Short

—And Costly

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Vila, N.H., Oct, 20.

r recent Pacific islands food hortage was also felt in the New Hebrides.

Apart from seasonal supplies from )cal Tonkinese market gardeners Dr unless you are actually living n a plantation), practically every unce of food one consumes in Vila i imported from Australia.

A major source of this supply was le Morinda which, after suffering amage in the hurricane earlier in le year, was laid up in Sydney for 'Pairs for months. This vessel, ith its limited space is serving, on er round trips, Lord Howe, Norfolk, ila, Santo and the Solomons. The nount of food cargo for each of

these ports is naturally cut and food shortages have been the lot of Vila housewives.

However, the almost simultaneous arrivals of the Morinda, Polynesien, New Hebrides, Admiral Cunning ham and the Thor, all carrying food cargoes, has done much to alleviate the situation. Onions from America, margarine from Suva, butter and potatoes from New Zealand were rushed (not to mention Californian garlic, big as turnips, to gladden addicts’ hearts).

But each new shipment shows a prices increase over the previous

one. Current prices of a few basic items are as follows: Butter (tinned), 7/6; tea, 10/- lb; sugar, 9d lb; flour, lOd lb; rice, lOd lb; fruit (tinned), 4/-; milk (tinned), 1/9-2/-; potatoes, 9d; onions, 2/6 lb.

Mr. and Mrs. J. S. K. B. Borron, of Mago, Lau Islands, Fiji, leave this month on a visit to United States and Britain. While in America, Mr. Borron probably will undergo some medical treatment. Son James will look after the big plantation during the Borrons’ absence abroad.