CORRESPONDENTS' VIEWS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 37, 13 February 1943, Page 4

CORRESPONDENTS' VIEWS

WOOL PRICES AND INFLATION

To the Editor. If Mr. Savage had lived the farmers of New Zealand, especially the wool growers, would have received justice. I refer to the 15 per cent increase in the price of wool for the current season with which the Government is juggling. The Minister for Production forgets that this increase was made by the British Government months before the New Zealand Government brought in its Stabilisation Scheme; hence it is being made retrospective. If a private firm, acting as an agent for the British Government, were to do the same as the New Zealand Government is proposing to do, it would be termed misfeasance and punishable by imprisonment. I would like to know who instructed the wool appraisers to tighten up their appraisement of the wool clip for this season. The effect is that there is no appreciable increase on last season's prices. To deduct 1£ per cent from the alleged 15 per cent to be applied in reducing the cost of the wool purchased by the Dominion's woollen mills is", most unjust, as the woolgrowers are penalised to provide cheaper clothing for every man, woman and child in New Zealand. The fairer manner to stabilise the cost of manufactured woollen goods would be a State subsidy in the same manner as sugar is now subsidised and not bleed one section of the Dominion in order to keep down prices. T. B INSOLL