Deputy Byrne will understand that other members of this House are fully aware of the inconvenience which a shortage of these two commodities— candles and paraffin oil—means to household which are not equipped for the utilisation of electricity or gas for illumination purposes, and that we are all as anxious as he is to remedy that position—if it is possible to remedy it. There is not much use in Deputy Byrne, or other Deputies, asking me to import materials for the manufacture of candles, or to import paraffin oil to make good the deficiency now existing. I shall import them if I can. The question is whether it will be possible to do so, and I can only inform the House of what the prospects are, because there can be no certainity that any arrangements made for the importation of any commodity will, in fact, work out successfully.
In answer to Deputy Hannigan, the shortage of paraffin wax began when the British Government decided they would sell no more to us. From that period until now no paraffin wax has been imported from Great Britain, nor has it been possible to import any paraffin wax from elsewhere because of the absence of shipping facilities to countries other than the United Kingdom. Because of the imminence of a shortage, arrangements were made with the candle manufacturers to conserve existing stocks. We standardised the production of candles to the maximum possible extent, eliminating the manufacture of certain types of candles altogether in order to make the best use of the available stocks. The manufacture of candles was restricted to 50 per cent. of the normal output, and that restriction upon deliveries by manufacturers to their customers has now been in operation for some months. The full effect of the restriction was not felt by consumers because stocks in the hands of traders were finding their way into consumption. These stocks have, presumably, become exhausted now. We have investigated the possibility of substituting native tallow for imported materials used in the manufacture of candles and the manufacturers are agreed that while it would not be possible for them to produce an all-tallow candle, they can use tallow in substitution for imported materials to an extent ranging from 20 per cent. to 50 per cent. according to the type of the candle. Arrangements for that substitution are at present in operation. The existing stocks of candles, or of materials for the manufacture of candles, in the hands of manufacturers are sufficient to meet about two months' normal consumption. On the basis of the existing restrictions on deliveries, that supply will keep production going for four months.
The normal production of candles in this country requires the importation of 3,650 tons of paraffin wax per annum. Other materials than paraffin wax are required in lesser quantities—but required nevertheless. Having regard to the existing restriction on the sale of paraffin for household purposes, the demand for candles would, if it could be satisfied, be far in excess of the normal. Arrangements are being made for the shipment of a quantity of paraffin wax by neutral vessels to the port of Lisbon, whence it is hoped to transport it in Irish owned vessels to this country. The earliest date by which these arrangements could produce a sufficient quantity of paraffin wax to affect production here would be towards the end of October. It is exceedingly difficult to expedite these arrangements, having regard to the difficulty of procuring space in ships to Lisbon, the difficulty of procuring storage in Lisbon and the restricted shipping facilities we can make available for the transport of goods from Lisbon.
I do not want to discuss at any length Deputy Dillon's suggestion that wheat cargoes should be substituted by cargoes of paraffin wax and other commodities in short supply. It is very easy to decide in prospect to do without some commodity when there is no shortage of it at the moment in order to get supplies of another commodity of which there is a shortage but I think the fundamentally sound policy is to make sure of our wheat position before utilising any of the shipping space at our disposal for the importation of other goods. I think our wheat position is such that we can utilise the Lisbon route entirely for the importation of goods other than wheat but it is an expensive method of importation. There are not merely considerable difficulties in operating it but there are very considerable risks involved which somebody has to carry and private interests are sometimes reluctant to take these risks without an assurance that the shipping accommodation required for transportation from Lisbon can be made available very shortly after the arrival of cargoes in that port.
That is the position. Nothing can be done that I know of to remedy it. We have a sufficient number of candles in the hands of manufacturers and a sufficient stock of materials for the manufacture of candles in the hands of manufacturers to maintain a 50 per cent. production for four months. By the end of four months we may, if we are fortunate, have succeeded in bringing in from America supplies of materials sufficient to improve the position.
So far as kerosene is concerned, nothing can be done. The quantity of kerosene which we can import is not under our control. It depends entirely on the facilities which the oil companies can place at our disposal. The existing stock of kerosene in the country is sufficient to provide the requirements of harvesting machines. I think all Deputies will agree that it is essential that the kerosene required for the operation of tractors and harvesting machines should be made available so that the harvest will not be lost. It was in order to ensure that a sufficient stock of kerosene for the requirements of the harvest would be available that it was necessary to take the very drastic step of restricting deliveries to traders selling paraffin for household purposes. When the harvesting operations are completed, or when those operating harvesting machines have had delivered to them a sufficiency of kerosene to enable them to complete these operations, and if supplies arrive in the meantime, it will be possible to resume deliveries of kerosene to traders for sale for domestic purposes on some restricted basis. I cannot guarantee that supplies will arrive. We have reason to think they will, but the situation has become so uncertain that there can be no guarantee that they will come. Supplies of all petroleum products have been very irregular and uncertain for a number of weeks past, and unless the oil companies are able to make good the deficiences in their delivery programme in the very near future, there will be a really serious situation not merely in respect of paraffin but in respect to all petroleum products.
The price of candles is fixed. I cannot say offhand what the price is, but it is fixed at so much per lb., and if Deputy Byrne finds that overcharges are taking place for candles on the part of particular traders, if he will give me the names of traders I shall see that the necessary legal proceedings are taken. Reference has been made to the possibility of introducing a rationing scheme for candles and kerosene. I do not want to say that it is impossible to ration one or other of these commodities, but Deputies who speak lightly of the introduction of a rationing scheme had better understand that it is not at all an easy thing to operate. So far as I know, no country has succeeded in devising a satisfactory scheme for rationing commodities of that kind, commodities which are used by a minority of households. Clearly if you fix a flat rate per head, everybody will avail of the ration and it will have to be fixed at a very low level, much lower than would be possible if you could confine the distribution of these commodities to those who really need them. On the other hand, the preparation of a list of households where candles and kerosene are essential because of the absence of other means of lighting would involve a house-to-house inspection of the country which would have to be resumed periodically, which could not be undertaken without very elaborate organisation and which would take a very long time. My officers are trying to work out some system of controlling distribution so as to ensure that a supply will be available where that supply is a necessity, even if the scheme we can devise will not be completely foolproof or knave-proof. I cannot at this stage say whether we shall be successful in devising such a scheme. If any Deputy has ideas to offer as to how a system of rationing, or rather how a system of controlling the distribution of candles and kerosene can be worked out, I shall be very glad to receive their ideas. I confess myself that the difficulties which appear inherent in perfecting such a scheme are very great and I have not been able to see my way clearly through them. The very best I, or any officer in my service, can do is to devise a system which might work out with a 50 per cent. degree of accuracy—certainly not more than that.