THE WOOL COMMANDEER.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16728, 10 January 1920, Page 8

THE WOOL COMMANDEER.

A LEGAL POINT. ,'sruriAi. to "the rREss." ■ AVET.LINGTON. January In iheso times. when the pnco of wool is uncertain. there have Wn supuestions emanating principally from largo'owners of w«»l that the> might bv withholding: their wool from valuation this year, ami shipping it or .-riling it locally next year. It i. at lea>t doubt ml whether the owners of wool have any right to w.thin. 1.1 or withilraw their wool nomyauation or from sale to tlw» <.o\ernm. lit. Sent ion 17 of tho War Itjo ? and .Statute Law Amendment Act , 1 I.HS i> as follows: -The Governor-General, or anv .Minister of the Crown authorised !iv him for that purpose, may on behalf of his Majesty's Government of tho United Kingdom make such contracts as are .Iconic.! necessary for or relating t<> the purchase or acquisition of any ,T oods or merchandise produced in New Zealand and required, whether before or after the present war, for the ncoes ; sities of his Majesty's Government, anil "all contracts made heretofore dtirin" the present war by the GovernorGeneral or bv any Minister of the Crown for the pur|>ose a foresaid nro hereby declared to bo and at all times to have been of full force and effect." The clanso quoted is the only legislation bearing upon the issue. It would appear that the purpose of the clause was to make the contract already binding upon the Hritish Government binding alio upon the sellers in New Zeaiaml. and it docs appear to bo binding oil the producers of wool. Tho issue in the last resort is ono of law, and it is not possihlo to pet quick opinions upon it. but this much is certain: that the Government will stand by the contracts mado and ratified by tho legislation quoted.