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VI. SECOND COMMITTEE : ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL QUESTIONS Chairman Dr Oscar Lange (Poland) Vice-Chairman Mr Pedro C. Hernaez (Philippine Republic) Rapporteur Mr Ernesto Sanjines (Bolivia) New Zealand Representatives Hon. D. Wilson Mr T. O. W. Brebner At its first meeting the Second Committee found itself without a Chairman or a Vice-Chairman owing to the illness of Mr Waclaw Konderski (Poland) and to the fact that Mr Pedro Lopez (Philippine Republic) was not a member of his country's delegation. On the motion of Mr D. Wilson (New Zealand), Mr Pedro C. Hernaez was unanimously elected Vice-Chairman, and he took the chair from M. P. H. Spaak (President of the General Assembly), who had presided temporarily. Subsequently the Chairman resigned, and Dr Oscar Lange (Poland) was unanimously elected to the position of Chairman. The first item considered by the Second Committee was a report of the Secretary-General on action taken to implement the resolution of the General Assembly on the world shortage of cereals, which was adopted in London on 14 February, 1946. The Committee considered the matter mainly from the short-term aspect since the long-term problem was being discussed by the Preparatory Commission on World Food Proposals sitting at Washington and by the Preparatory Committee of the International Trade and Employment Conference being held in London. The Committee had before it a report of Sir John Boyd Orr, Director-General of FAO, in which he warned all countries that the food problem was still critical and that there was still an acute shortage, especially of grains and fats. He reported that grave danger existed of a crisis next spring unless the 1946 harvest was carefully husbanded and maximum production in the 1947 harvest was secured. In addition to Sir John Orr's report, the Second Committee heard statements by Mr F. L. McDougall, Counsellor of FAO, and Dr D. A. Fitzgerald, Secretary-General of the International Emergency Food Council (IEFC), which had replaced the Combined Food Board. Mr McDougall gave a detailed account of the work FAO had done in combating the world shortage of food, while Dr Fitzgerald's address was, in the main, a review of the world food situation. Dealing with cereals for use as food (wheat, rice, and rye), Dr Fitzgerald pointed out that for the year commencing June, 1945, the total production was 340,000,000 short tons, to which had to be added 15,000,000 tons carried over from previous stocks in the exporting countries. Production for the year ending June, 1947, was expected to be 380,000,000 tons, compared with 410,000,000 tons in pre-war years. The requirements of importing countries were 35,000,000 tons, 10,000,000 tons in excess of the supplies expected to be available. The estimated