LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 37, 7 November 1919, Page 8

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

THE PEOPLE PAY INTERFERENCE WITH TRADE AND INDUSTRY. Sir,—ln glancing through the pages of Hansard. as I sometimes do for want or a more profitable occupation, 1 observed' Hint most of the members from Uie four centres, when Die North Suburban Railway Service Committee's report was before the Douse, availed of the opportimitv (o air their views about the widespread inconvenience and loss caused by tiie stopWKe of the suburban services. Hut not one of them had the courage (u allude to the cause of .all tho; trouble, viz.. the selfish and contemptible part now being enacted by the coal miners, in defiance of the law relating to interfeie'neo with the trade and commerce of the Dominion.

Some tew vears ago several Wellington merchants were dragged before tin Court and heavily fined for trying to prevent one of their number from getting a suiiplv of sugar. It is evident that these Labour members are jjoing io make a strong bid lor the woman's vote, but if they as electors onlv knew that this "go-slow" policy, wliish is being secretly advocated and abetted, lias mote to do with incieasing the cast of living than a few extra ponce added to the selling price of a yard of flannel, they would, instead of supportini; such gentry, now that they have thv nower to elect, send right-thinking representatives of their own sex to Parliament. who would not mislead the honest workinc: man and woman, ns is now boiiuj done. The want of accuracy amoncst a section of Labour leadors is lamentable ami astounding, and I sawit stated on the best authority that 110 statement of theirs could be accepted without ample corroborative evidence, .Is this all that our vaunted education system has done for us? T had a deep-seated aversion to the short pi- ealeehism once upon a time; but think it a pity the relipioui element has been banished from our schools, as the dread of hell fire did have 11 salutary effect. 1111011 the mind, which can never bo obliterated.—l am, etc., HIRAM A.BIFF. WOOL PRICES WILL MR. MASSEY LOOK INTO THE MATTER? Sir,—After all the disturbing disclosures wo have heard about tho excessive profits 011 the manufacture and sale, both wholesale and retail, of Dominion-manu-factured woollen goods, it appears a fair thing to ask our late Acting-Premier, who constituted himself the selling agent of our woof at the average price of about Is. 23d. per lb. for greasy fleeces and pieces, if lie is still supplying our woollen mills with all the wool they ask for at a small fraction of a penny per ib. over the average prico quoted above, when merino, which they mostly use, is quoted at Home'at about 3s. per lb.? . So far as can be seen neither the consumer nor tho producer has received, or is likely to receive, any benefit from tho supply of this wool at such an absurdly inadequate price, and I can see no cogent reason why shareholders in these woollen factories ami softgoodsmeu and drapers and tailors should pocket such onormous profits a't tho cxpenso of tho producer, who is being bled white by these Orders-in-Council. Moreover, the grower has still an interest in. the realisation of his wool, and entitled to lialt' profit on all soul for other than military purposes, and I would like to ask Mr. Massey if tho authorities hero have been instructed, during his absence, to keep tlio sumo tally 011 supplies to the Dominion mills as the Imperial Government is supposed -to be keeping on that sold for civilian purposes 111 London and America. I know nothing about the profits of softgoodsmeu and drapers beyond • tho fact; that they are apparently permitted by the Board of Trade to chargo tlw same percentage 011 their turnover as in pre-war times, which gives them double and sometimes treble profit on the article handled, but- Stock Exchange lists give us some idea of the trading results of tins woollen factories during' the war, and in addition the enhancement in tho value of their shares, the selling prico of \yhicli has iu some cases more than doubled. "\ I have seen a similar statement iii your paper, but as prices have since largely increased they are now brought up-to-date : Selling price, Price Julv, Oct. 1, 1914. 1919. s. d. s. d. Bruco Mills, about 10 0 -l-l 0 ICaiapoi IMC ">B® Mosgiel 75 " 1 -- ® Oamarii 26 0 53 0 Wellington 88 0 105 A Investors have evidently made some discovery, otherwise demand lor these shares would not have hcon so keen. . I ask Mr. Massey, whom wo all recognise as a fair-minded and intelligent man, to look at tlio prico of Is. 2i&. per lb. with I lie imaginary and elusive 55 per cent, included for the farmers' wool, and compare it with the percentages over pre-war prices pocketed by sharoholdcns in theso woollen mills, as shown above. It occurs to me that, the arrangement for the supply of wool to our I'nctorieSi at five-eighths' of a penny per lb. over commandeered price was gazetted, and may be still in force. It ro, it should, in my humble opinion, be cancelled forthwith, and the profits in accordanco w'th the Imperial Commissioner's promise collected from them, as I can sec 110 reason wily they should be so highly favoured, nor" can 1 fathom why . those gi : utienieu who were supposed to l:e attending to the fanners, or sellers interest, agreeing to such a one-sided proposal. A well-known politician has given it as his opinion thar farmers ore inert and stupid, and I think wo are, but tho latter designation may well be applied to some, of our politicians.—l am, etc., WOOL GROWER.