THE IMPERIAL WOOL COMMANDEER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 248, 8 July 1918, Page 4

THE IMPERIAL WOOL COMMANDEER

AFTER-WAR, 12-MONTHS , CLAUSE OBJECTED TO. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Gisborne, July 6. Tho proposal that the Imperial Government should purchase wool for one year afisr the cessation of hostilities was objected to at a meeting of the Gisborna Wool-growers' Association thisafternoon, when on tho motion of Mr. W. G. Slicrratt the meeting, after hearing the report of Mr. W. D. Lyt-nar, decided that tho Imperial Government should commandeer tie- wool for three months oiilr after the close of tho war, upon existing terms. Tho meeting was of opinion that I wool-growers, having satisfied all Imperial requirements of the Dominion, are entitled to resume ordinary marketici; and control ot their wool as eoon as possible, subject to any legislation the Imperial or the Dominion Governments may 1 impose in order to provide restrictions preventing wool reaching enemy or other countries. Mr. Lysnar contended that tho proposal to commandeer the wool after the war actually nicanv, in view of the tricky wording, that two clips would be sent Homo under these conditions, which really meant that speculative manufacturers would profit at vhe expense of tho New Zealand wool-growers. It was not unpatriotic for wool-growers, when hostili. ties ct-ased, to consider their own business interests, and by not axeding to tho proposal the people at Homo would not be penalised, but the huge profits made by manufacturer;:, if diverted, would benefit the Dominion. He said that the Hon. D. 11. Gutlirio had stated that ho would forward the points against tho proposal to Mr. Massey and SirJoseph Ward. When demobilisation took place there would not bo enough wool in tho world to provide for tho men who again went into mufti, and wool"rowers, bv adopting the one-year proposal, would fall into the hands of the manufacturers, who would coin money at tho growers' expense.