PURCHASE OF WOOL.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16259, 9 July 1918, Page 4

PURCHASE OF WOOL.

CONTROL AFTER THE WAR,

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) GISBORNE, July 6.

The proposal that the Imperial Government should purchase wool for one year after the cessation of hostilities was objected to at a meeting of the Gisborne Woolgrowers' Association when, on the motion of Mr W. G. Sherratt, the meeting, after hearing the report of Mr "W. D. Lysnar, decided that the Imperial Government should commandeer wool for thrae months only after the close of the war upon the existing terms. The meeting was of opinion that the woolgrowers, having satisfied all Imperial requirements for war purposes below the actual market values and trade Interest of the Dominion, are entitled to resume ordinary marketing and control of their wool as soon as possible subject to any legislation the Imperial or. Dominion Governments may impose in order to provide restrictions preventing wool reaching enemy or other countries.

Mr Lvsnar contended that the t»roposal to commandeer wool after the war actually meant, in view of ibe tricky wording, that two clips would be sen; Home under these conditions, which really meant that speculative manufacturers would profit at the expense of New Zealand woolgrowers. It was not unpatriotic for woolgrowers when hostilities ceased to consider their own business interests, and by their not acceding to the proposal the people at Home would not be penalised, but the huge profits made by manufacturers, if diverted, would benefit the Dominion. He said the Hon. W. H. Guthrie had stated that he would forward the points made against the proposal to Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward. When demobilisation took place there would not be enough wool in the world to provide for the men who again went into mufti, and the woolgrowers, oy adopting the one year proposal would fall into the hands of the manufacturers, who. could coin money at the growers' expense.

The Clyde has beaten the London riveting reoord, according to the "Daily Mail." Thomas Devine, a former soldier, at the Delmuir Yards of William Beard nore and Co., has driven 4422 rivets in a side of a ship in nine hours. The London record, made recently by Robert Farrant, was 4276 rivets in a tank is the 6ame time. Devine's reoord was made after Colonel W. B. Fisher, M.P. for the West division of Hampshire, had offered £25 to the first riveter in the United Kingdom to beat Farranfs figures.