A MISCONCEPTION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 130, 19 February 1918, Page 7

A MISCONCEPTION

FLAX AND THE NATIONAL EFFICIENCY BOABD.

At the meeting of the AVellmgton Central Chamber of Commerco yesterday a letter, dated January 4, was read by the secretary from the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce, vviiick urged that tho local chamber should endorse a resolution that had been passed respecting the alleged proposal on the part of tho National Efficiency Board that the ilaxmills shpuld be closed in order to liberate labour for harvesting m the district. The resolution was as follows:— '•That in the opinion of this chamber the closing of the flaxmills for the purpose of providing labour for harvesting is unwise, unnecessary, ' and impracticable, and that the views of this chamber be forwarded to the Efficiency Beard in detail, with a request that before action be taken representatives from tho chamber, tho New Zealand Flasmillers' Association, and tho Flnxmill Workers' Union be invited to give evidence on the matter." As the matter appeared to bo one of considerable local importance, the chamber communicated with the chairman of the National Efficiency Board .'Mr. W. Ferguson), who replied as follows: —

"1 have to-thank you for your letter of 4th instant covering and explaining a resolution passed at a meeting of your chamber hold on Wednesday the '2nd idem., based on the assumption that this board was proposing to recommend the Government to close the flaxmills compulsorily in order that, labour should be released for harvesting purposes, and urging that before any such recommendation was mad 6 by the board representatives from tho Flaxmillers' Association, the Flaxmill Workers' Union, and from your chamber, should be heard upon the subject. The National Efficiency Board holdo its monthly meeting in Wellington this week, and I shall have pleasure in placing your views before tho bonrtl. So far there has been no proposal in the direction suggested, ind therefore you have been misinformed in stating that such action is proposed, and you may feel assured that the sentiment contained in the last sentence of your letter urging that, beforo action is taken it would be just to hear all parties interested will msut with the entire approval of the board."