THE PRICE OF KNITTING WOOL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 4, 29 September 1917, Page 8

THE PRICE OF KNITTING WOOL

6 (To the Editor.) ■ Sir,—The price of knitting . wool is exercising tho minds of thousands of anxious mothers, whoso fingers are never idle knitting stockings and ; other woollen comforts foi'ithoir sons in the trenches, and this labour of love will be continued, notwithstanding tho reply to Mr. Buddo's question in tho House, that Government supplies are regarded as sufficient for the men's requirements. ' According to Mr'. Buddo, this knitting wool, manufactured in tho Dominion, is costing Bs. lid. per lb.! Now, the raw material, commandeered from sheop farmers for tho uso of soldiers at the front, is being supplied to these companies for commercial purposes at a fraction over the commandeered prices, and cannot cost them, scoured and ready for manufacture, much over 2s. per lb. There is, therefore, a difference of 6s. lid. per lb. for converting tho scoured wool into knitting worsted; and, having seen the whole process gone through in a Highland kitchen, I can assert that tlie manipulation is not an _ expensive one, and with the labour-saving machinery now in use cannot cost the woollen companies anything liko half that sum. If it does, all I can say is that there must bo "something wrong in tho stato of Denmark." r Also, worsted, which is subject to heavy duty and the enormous freight and insurance charges now current, is sold in the shops here at Bs. 6d. per lb., and if the local companies are handling commandeered wool, it is tho duly of tho Government to commandeer the worsted, and sell it at barn cost to the Red Cross ' and other philanthropic societies named by Mr. Buddo. Farmers' profits are largely reduced for war purposes, and ' surely they are not the only people lo be called upon to make sacrifices during war lime?—l am, etc., . FARMER. '