COMMANDEERING WOOL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2954, 14 December 1916, Page 8

COMMANDEERING WOOL

POSITION OP PELLMONGERS,

A largely attended meeting of fellmongers and wool-scourers, representhe Dominion as a whole, was held in the Chamber of Commerce Booms, ."Wellington. Mr. Andrew Wilson, of Messrs. Kingsland Bros, and Anderson, Ltd., Invercargill, presided. The chairman' intimated that the meeting had been called by a section of the trade whose industry was vitally affected- by the commandeering of the wool clip by the Imperial Government. The wool growers, the Wool Buyers' Association, and the freezing companies had been invited to conferences witli the_ Government before the terms upon which the wool clip should- be requisitioned were decided, but the section of the trade representing the fellmongers and wool-scourers had not had an opportunity of conferring with the Government. They had not yet ascertained from the Government whether it was proposed to requisition sheepskins. It was understood that the Wool Buyers' Association had submitted proposals to the Government regarding the matter, and.that the Imperial Government ■had been communicated with. He believed that it-would.be in the interests of the' industry if an open market were loft for skins, but the slipe wool requisitioned. l .

" All aspects of the matter' were discussed by the meeting, which adopted

the following resolutions:—"That ttiis meeting is of the opinion that it is in the best interests of the sheepskin and fellmongery trade that sheepskins should not be commandeered, but that the Imperial Government, should take tho slipe wool as delivered at the port, leaving an open market for skins, hut prohibiting all exportation." "Tbat should it become necessary to commandeer sheepskins, the Minister be asked to notify direct all persons interested, and that they be given an opportunity to attend at Wellington to discuss matters."