WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 August 1924, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

A WOOL SALK. (Special to "Guardian”.) WELLINGTON, Auk. 22. Wellington manured to li;ivc tu*o " crulehiiig ” Miles since the close of the regular wool-selling season. 'I he first sale was held in ■lime and the second this week. A . rutc-limg sale docs not mean that only rrulehings are offered, for. ns a matter of fact, besides bellies, pieces and locks, a few hales of liecre wool were offered at liotli crutcliing sales. At the .Line sale there was a satisfactory clearance, average (pialily crntchings making Ltd to lojd, while some superior crntchings went much higher. There was scarcely any dotllil ahout the trend of values at the sale this week. Most brokers anticipated that values would he a peony to a penny-half penny loner, and this was the actual result. There were many striking features ahout the sale, although prices were not as high as many would have lilted. The attendance was reinarkithly good. The fcllmongers from practically all over New Zealand attended ill full force, and their competition lor lieavyi auditioned mulchings and lor bellies, locks, and pieces was very helpful. I’ftyers representing liradfonl. franco, lielgiuin, ,lamni and Australia wore present, r.ml a representative from Ihe laud of the Mikado was pre-cut although lie did not do much bidding, (’lie buyer is said to have held a big order for criltcliings on .Japanese account, and the competition from this source for fine cruti liings was a great mean- of preventing values falling. A soil of the ex-Prime Minister of the foiiimonwcaltli represented an Australian firm which recently acquired New Zealand interests, and he bought freely. for all fine wools the coicpclilion was keen. There was a very limited quantity of llecce wool offered, hut tins met with competition and sold well. It was Hot possible to ohiain any id a of the prospects of wool Imm tin* sale of the few hales of fleeces, hut il was evident that there will he keen competition for all fin-- (|imlities. .STATIC IN’f El! FED EM E. The intereference of State Departments with trade and commerce hareached a higher stage under the lieform Government than under any previous government. This has been most marked since the close of the war, and very little excuse or persuasion is needed to induce the Minister for Agriculture Mr W. Nosworlhy) to take active steps in the way of imposing oonlnil, or embargo, or some other form of interference, lie is to Maine for dear bread, dear oats and the dear-

ness of nianv other of our primary pr■>duets. The Welfare League has been hammering at this Slate interference with trade in a spasmodic way. apparently nut with very satisfactory results. and the League ha- now suggested to the ( hamber of Commerce that it is lime some combined clfort was made to combat a policy which ivery dangerous, in view of the growth of socialistic ideals. Some people seem to think that just because Massey sanctions these socialistic schemes, that therefore they arc ipiitc safe as the Masseyites are not socialists. The fitet that they are dangerous precedents is conviently overlooked. This question came before the Council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, and the Cliairmaii. Mr 11. I). Rennetl, who stood at the last election as the Itclorm candidate in opposition to Mr T. Wilford, remarked that he ua- not sure whether the matter came within the scope ol i lie Chamber's activities, and he was in favour of’ dismissing lie subject with life cheap sympathy of I he ( i lined. At the last conference of the Associated ( handlers of Coinnicrcce in Auckland a resolution was carried disapproving of financial obligations by the Government in connection with marketing pools. Mr Masscv, of coor.-e. knows ihat i.-i\ Ltile iiouortaucc is IO he at Inched lo those resolutions. and the Government goi". on interef ring and indulging in unfair c oni'ietitieu. The latest in this respect is the touting !>v tile Public Trust Office tor deposits. The oihee is offering •!! per cent for deposits fixed for 27 li":nlhs. and ."> nor cent for deposits iixtd leer live years. It is not the cinii-p-.g it Up liint i- object cd to. but the unfairness of tier competition, for the Public Trustee, enjoys many advantages and i ixalioii cxemniious. This move e:n the part of the Public Trustee is p-iliiii-.il in its inception, lor by taking tlie-s deposit, the- Trustee is abb* to lend a great ileal more on mortgage, and tin's soils (lie Government (admirably. Stale monap.iiy of accident insurance now seriously pro posed is iust another step forward towards socialism.