NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3540, 30 July 1920, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

THE WOOL COMMANDEER. ALLEGATIONS REFUTED. WELLINGTON, July 29. In yesterday’s Supplementary Orl- - Paper, appeared a lexygthy reply by the Prime Minister (Ahe (Right Hon. W, F. Massey) to a statement recently published by Mr William Milne, of Oataaru, an ex-director of the Bank of New Zealand, that owing to a mistake in regard to the wool commandeer some 30 millions sterling had been lost to the New Zealand farmers.! Mr Massey detailed the facts in regard to the negotiations with, the Imperial Government and the terms eventually agreed to; and in the course of a discussion on the matter in the House, the Hon, W. D. S. MacDonald declared roundly that in the statement by Mr Milne there had been a mistake, and that the New Zealand woolgrowers had lost 30 millions as a result, was simply nonsense The National Government ascertained the wool prices of 1914 from reliable firms, the Imperial Government gave an advance of"S5 per cent, on those prices; and so liberal were they in their treatment of the New Zealand wool-growers that in actual fact it was nearer 65 per cent than 55 per cent. The Prime Minister agreed with this. He had, he said, in conjunction with Sir Joseph* Ward, seen the negotiations' from the other end, and was quite satisfied that there had been no mistake. The bulk of the wool-growers of the Dominion were very well satisfied with the result, and he believed that the commandeer had been a very good thing for New Zealand.

MR MASSEY NO JOCKEY.

QUESTION OF WEIGHTS. WELLINGTON, July 29. Had the attention of the Prime Minister been directed to a resolution carried by the Canterbury Council of Churches with reference to the inhuman treatment of jockeys in the Dominion? asked Mr D. G. Sullivan (Avon), without notice in the House of Representatives yesterday. The resolution commented strongly on the inhumanity of the minimum weight of 6st 71b inflicted on jockeys, and demanded that the minimum should be raised to 7st, stating that the cruelty involved in wasting down to 6st 71b was repulsive in the extreme. Was the Prime Minister, asked the honourable member, prepared to put some legislation on the Statute-book to prevent that

Mr Massey replied that his attention had not been called to the resolution, but he did not feel himself sufficiently versed in the matter to express an opinion on it. Mr T. M. Wilford (Hutt): You could not get down to six-stone-seven yourself, could you? (Laughter).' Mr Massey: I would rather not try. But lam not a joekey_ (Oh. oh! and laughter).

The Hon. A. T. Ngata (Eastern Maori); Sometimes. (Laughter). Mr Massey stated that if Mr Sullivan would hand' him the resolution he would look into the question. He had not, had a single complaint, though he had a number of jockeys amongst his constituents, in regard to the reduction of weight referred to.

Mr Sullivan: It was one of the principal demands of the jockeys that the minimum should be raised. Mr H. Poland (OMnemuri): Quite right, too. Mr Massey said that he was informed by a colleague, who knew more about the matter than he did — (laughter)—that every club could make its own regulations in regard to it, and could make the* minimum 7st if it chose.