LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 31, 31 October 1919, Page 8

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

THE WOOL COMMANDEER

A BLUNDER AND ITS CONSEQUENCES. Sir, —Will you permit me to supply your correspondent, "Producer," with tho information asked for by him as to how Sir James Allen's basic wool price of i).65d. is arrived at?

According to the Jfon. Sir. iiassey, who fnrnkhed the particulars, they are based upon the average net yield of «ii.S3l bales of the 1013-14 clip, sold at our .Dominion wool sales at various dates from about December, 1913, to the close of the sales, some of it about seven months before war was declared. These consisted of fleeces, bellies, and pieces, and netted H.57d. p:T lb., but to this was added 1.05 d., '•'■!» reason for which is not clear, making 9.G3J., to which the 55 per cent, is added.

It will be seen that Sir James. Allen's figure is arrived at on the Dominion average price, but as the quantity represents only about half the 1913-11 clip— tho other half having been shipped to London for sale—it is surely necessary in order to arrive at a correct average pr'ce. to include bath moieties, otherwise sellers in London get no 55 per cent. To assess the value of the other half we must refer to London account sales about July, 1914, which, I take it, ic(lect pre-war prices more accurately than our Dominion wool sales quoted above. These give the following prices:—Halfbred, Is. "id. to Is. 7d.; threc-uuai'tor-bred. Is. 4ld. to Is. Old.; crossbred. Is. 4il. to Is. fild.; mixed hollies and pieces, lfl.Ul. to Hid.; and an account sale embracing the above descriptions, of average nuality, netted the grower Is. lid. per lb, or Bs. 9d. per fleece. The same weight of tleeee at the Dominion net figure of B.j7d. would yield the grower ss. Bid. per fleece, which more clearly represents the difference between the Dominion apd London price for that year's woo'.'

Tiic .mean average between the .basic price of (I.Gad. and the .London net average of Is. lid. per lb. is therefore a little over Hid. for the two halve* of i.lio 1913-H clip, which should certainly have been token into consideration, but it is as clear as noonday to anyone with average business experience (and the danger is manifest when dealing with fiiurcs of such magnitude with only political training as n guide) (hat the Imperial Wool Commissioner intended to offer the London pre-war average price for our wool, plus 45 per cent., which percentage represented about the enhanced price at the London auction soles between July, IflU, when war was declared, and the date of the commandeer in December, 1916. \

If our wool was not sold for us at n Wser price Ibaii the commissioner had offered or intended to offer, why did be fender half profit on any sold' at auction for other than military purposes ?: Or again, why did he report to his superiors that j\ T ew Zealand wool had been obtained much under its value, and whv did he so willingly alter the terms of the slipe woi! conlrad and nxren to grant London avernse' prices, plus , r is per cent., to shippers of that description of wool? It would almost appear as if some Dominion slock and station ae-nt, has hud scmethii'i; to do with the fixing of this basic price of 9.C5d., as London auction prices, which should have formed the guide, it being the principal consuming- market, have been altogether ignored, and strange to say tlio cost oi handling the bales by tliem as agents has been increased bv about 75 to SO prr cent., from about 10s. to 17s. per bale, with a thumping charge for rent, in addition, nil of which; I may remark is carefully deducted from cur half profit on London sales.

I trust I have been able to make this complication clear to your correspondent, and since Mr. Massey has seen fit to deal out justice to suppliers of butter, fat and hides, as well as correct other matters, which occurred during his absence. I trust he will direct his' attention to the wool deal as well, which from its niangitiulo must be corrected sooner or. later.--I am, etc., WOOL-GROWER,

COOK ISLANDS AND THE FRUIT TRADE

Sir,—As a good deal of reference is being made in the newspapers to the Conk Islands, a few facts may assist to make the position more understandable. The Government of the islands is under, the Cook Islands Administration, in accordance with the Conk Islands Act, 1015. an Act passed by the Government' of New Zealand "to make better provision with resp n et to the government and laws of the Cook Islands." Tinrotongn is the pvincinal island of the group. Its area is, roughly, -wen miles long by five wide. Tlio population consists of about 3000 natives and about 150 white people.

The production and sale of fruit ;- the principal source of industry "id revenue. There are about ten trad'ng stores owned by white storek" o, iers. and about 2ft plantations, of a total acreag" of about 2001) acres, leased nnd o""iniiod by while planters. The remainder of the tradinrr and nlnnt'inr i* done by the native inhabitants, who produ-o threo(liiarters of the fniit of the island. ( It is a fact that the white olanto-s and traders are settled in the islnnd for the purpose of profit, and natural!'- v ; -h to make what they can out .of the native' 1 ?. The natives have \ every 'rijd't to look after their own interest", and i-n secure any oroper. assistance from the Administration, and are following the examples of the producers in New . Zetland by forming co-onerative «w,ii.tio« for distribution of their fruit; which does not meet the apnroval of the |r»dera in the island, as the natives find by experience thev are able to do bettor fo* themselves. As an dnstnn.ee of this. T refer to the first fifteen account sales, lake* indiscriminately from a large number before me. These show the gross Drocceds of lOO'i <-ascs of oranges and bananas to be .<!!HW Is. 11d.: delicti »g all shipning and sale charges. .{MI-Ms. 2d., leaves the net proceeds of .-W>7l 11s. 3d., which'amounts to 13s. Id. per case' and T have also before me several batches of account sales (showing still better results. Out of this the native has only to pay about 2s. 6d. each for ce^es. Tl'c traders were prepared to buy th" fruit from the natives at Is. fid. to 2s. fid. pur case. and. the m the native v co-operative fruit distribution naturally is not anproved of by the traders." These native eo-operativ'o associations were formed • somo three year-: ago. and experienced the usual nps and downs of such societies; thev are now bMng move thoronjrh.lv dcveloned. with the result tint, the outcry against them by interested onnosition is becoming niore pronounced. Cook Islands is the natural Ironical frurt for consumption in Ne«' Zealand, and from the ]Vii"iin" point of view tlio industry should, be devnloned. The island natives are a superior, intelligent race, and are callable of attending to this business under s.ymnntlietic and intelligent treatment. This v n! present being well supplied by the Administration. A large amount of arrears of work in connection with bind titles n»s been "inared up bv the Kctivc I,nn<l Court. Offences ni'.iinst the law.* of tho island are settled, at the local fVni'-t. which sits once a week, 'the fnci that what might have b-cninc a scriouriot on the return of th» soldiers n. March hist was niM-Hed and H<« offewl»r« duly.punished is evidence tWiitha riativns resnect the law a.- administered. Thorp are four schools in the island, attended bv alwnt 5.M scholars mnfv of whom are jrrnwn un. which will exnlain the feet that the scWU nro appreciated bv those for whom Hiev ivorp established. Tn addition to ordinary education, technical clas.senrc being organised, so that the p"Hvshall be able to become emci-nt. artisa«> With the co-operation of the fruit inspector and the school ionr-hovs. ImTtioultnral classes am held, .and the fact tlnr upwards of fift natives, attend these classes is evidence of their popularity. Post office, mo'iev-nrdor. "«d telephone service is established, and Tlnroton"" is linked un now with lil<<> outside world bv , un-to-dalo wireless station. a"'l the teleplionn is oxlondeif to each village wher« news of public interest, such as shipping notices and other information, is siipidied free of cliargw' for tho benefit o! thoso interested. A well-couipivMl hospital with resident medical officer l« available and Ihe fa n t that, on a rece"t visit, there were only four patients in tin. institution is proof t ,w \t the nubl ! e health i» nltoniM ''). When it is re. "b .-I 'h-t 'h'' Island"!"; were subjectto the influenza epidemic last yenr, and,

(win* to tho prompt- measures taken by the Administration the-deaths did not total more than about SO, it must be admitted that tin- position was one that those' responsible have reason to ho proud of, more particularly yilien comparing the conditions that occurred in other countries where conditions are supposed to be more favourable. Water is piped to each dwelling and periodical home cleaning arc pail of the recognised system.

There is a good road round the island, and there are about 50 motor vehicles at present Tcgulnriy using this and mails mat run inland. The Administration has don:' gimii work in assisting, the natives to make the island prosperous, and with loyal co-operation of the inhabitants, llarolonga should become tho model native settlement in the British, Empire, and this can be extended to the other islands of the group. The greatest drawback 1° progress at present ?s the hostility of the interested white residents to the development of hhe naHv r'li'i-cMs. and I lie very unsatisfactory shinning faeilitie- for the exnort of fruit. Full publicity of the affairs of the Islands are published annually, and theso rennrls are available to those desiring information; An association composed of about iO Uuv'iiemi's was formed in 1.91(1 prnfersedW to assist, to develon end improve conditions, but u neisusal of the nrnorodings of this sneK'v (iirinfed by M'e Brett Company, Auckland, price SK.Gd.) shows that while some aims were desirable, the development became so antagonistic to tho Administration as to completely nullify any chance of progress which it might have assisted. Anr interested reader is strongly recommended to neruso the annual'reports published by the Administration and also the report of the l'l'ogr°ssiv(' Association. From a ncrsonal visit to Rarotouga, I em siilMied that the official report is a fair statement, and I am also satisfied that the report of the Prorressivc Association wMI explai" finite salisfaetorily to anv intelligent reader that the. complaints of the while traders are caused by their own short-sighted want of consnlei;alion to tlw real intercuts of the natives who sV'ild b" encouraged to produce. t

Under the existin? circumstances, it is n mitter of surnris" In nv that the, position at- Hip Islands is as satisfactory .is it is, lint as ll:« natives arc now un-(lov-cfi'-diin aml tnliiusc a larger interest in their own progress, the prospects are, oxlr:inelv brWit.—T am. etc.. ADVANCE ItAROTONGA. Welliiigtoi.. October 20, 1019.