"WOOL SCANDAL."

Taranaki Daily News, 30 July 1920, Page 5

"WOOL SCANDAL."

PROFITEERING ALLEGED. LIGHT ON THE MATTER BOUGHT. (By Wire—Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night. A suggestion that the New Zealand woollen mills had take an unfair advantage of their privilege of buying wool from Imperial Government stocks was contained in a letter read to the House of Representatives by Mr. R. McCallum (Wairau). The letter was from the chairman of the Wool-growers' Associalibn, who stated: "It is a matter of common report that the New Zealand Woollen Mills, having received permission under certain restrictions to purchase wool commandeered by the Imperial authorities, took advantage of this permission to purchase large quantities of wool for present and future use; that fliese mills did a large business in. exporting blankets, etc., and were charging high rates to the New Zealand public for clothing material; that these mills did, in fact, do a large profiteering business by which the people were victimised, and these mills hold large stocks of wool. Now these reports are so generally believed that it is only fair that these millowners should have an opportunity of disproving these reports if untrue, or that if they are true restitution should be made. A very grave scandal exists. It is a scandal if the companies, having taken advantage of permission to purchase, are allowed to profit by such conduct, or it is a scandal if there be no grounds for such a report," Mr. McCallum added that there was before the House a return showing that the quantity of blankets and rugs exported from New Zealand in recent years was very small indeed. He proposed that this return should bo printed in order that it might be circulated among those interested. The Prime Minister agreed to this course, and the printing was ordered.