COMMANDEERED WOOL.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 December 1916, Page 4

COMMANDEERED WOOL.

WAITARA TO BE A PORT. OBJECTIONS WITHDRAWN. The general fedinor of resentment that was felt when the Departmental decision v. as annonneed that Wnitnr.i would not lie one of the port! for the shipment of wool purchased by (he Imperial (iovernr.ei.j. led to considerable aetivitv with liie object of briming the authnritiea to sec that a grave injustice would be inflicted 0:1 Tantnaki producers unless the decision ,vus revoked. Meetings lmve been held at which the various public bodies and Chambers of Commerce have puffed strongly' worded resolutions of pretest, coupled with urgent rceuiests for a review of the position. All the members for the province have added the weight of their advoca n v, ard deputations have waited on the Minister on tin- subject. On Wedncsd.iv Messrs fj. V. Pcaree, 11.1''.. H. .1. II Okev. MJ\, and Newton K'lig waited on the Minister (Hon. W. T). S MacDomtldl and pointed out that the holidays were at hand and that wool was U'uvinj; the district in. considerable quantities every day. They also forcef illy indicated 'the hardship it would be to ;ut Waitara out, as one of the ports for wool, and urged on the Minister the desirability of an early reply. ( The Minister admitted ho had previously promised that Waitara should M one of the receiving pbrts, and that he wis favorably impressed with, the statements made by the deputation. He promised that a reply should be sent,to Mr. Okey while on the train on Tlihmeluy returning to New Plymouth. That piomise was duly fulfilled, Mr. Okey receiving a telegram conveying the gratify* ing intelligence that the objections against Waitara had been withdrawn and that it would be gazetted as a port.

Those interested in the wool industry have good reason to be grateful to Messrs Okey M.P., C. A. Wilkinson, MAN, Pearce, Xcwton King, and others, i-.icltiding Mr. L. Nolan, who has twice interviewed the Minister on the matter, and the authorities are to be compli* incnlcd on the wisdom of their decision, which places Taranaki in as favorable ft petition as other centres.