MR. LYSNAR'S WOOL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 274, 13 August 1920, Page 8

MR. LYSNAR'S WOOL

A DEFENCE OF HIS ACTION

MATTERS OF OPINION

Mr. Lysnar, member for Gisborne, took an opportunity of referring in the House yesterday to his action in withholding his wool from'valuation last season.. This matter lias been referred to in the House on several occasions by Mr. Brown, but Mr. Lysnar has never been present, and yesterday Mr. Brown was not present. Mr. Lysiiar said that during tho war there had been no auestion raised as to the rights or wrongs'of the commandeer, but when the armistice was signed he thought that it was fair and right'that protest should be made against the improper carrying out of the bargain made with the Imperial Government. He had supplied the Government with figures to prove that New Zealand was losing somo seven millions and' a half a year on the sale of the wool, and that this money was going directly into the pockets of the profiteers in England. His objection was that the Imperial Government was not carrying out the undertaking given that tho whole of the wool not requited for war'purposes should be sold on tho open market. As a protest apfainst this failure, ho informed the Government that he would not send forward any more of his wool. Bv a citation of the War Regulations Tinder which the requisitions wero mode he justified his action, and declared that he had every right to take the action he had taken. Mr. Holland: Briefly, you declared a strike! -. Mr. Lysnar: Yes, briefly I declared a strike. No, no; I didn't strike. I withdraw that. , Mr. Holland: A "go-slow,"-then? '' Mr. Lysnar: No, there was no "goslow." Mr. Holland: You took direct action. Mr. Lysnar: I asked that the statutory provisions which' this Parliament had passed regarding the commandeering of any produce should be used. Mr. Frnser: And you beat the Government. Mr. Lysnar said that the question of beating tho Government was not involved. He claimed that- he was the only wool.producer who had withheld his wool who had obeyed the law,, for there had been others who had held back their u-nn l , and. '>ad not obeyed the law. He explained that under the law there was provision. for the taking of produce'under warrant in the case of the owner refusing to sell. He invited the Government to issue a warrant in respect' of his. wool, and the Government had refused to issue the warrant. Indeed, Mr. Massey'had informed him that his notion was not in contravention of the law. He repeated that ho had respected the law. Mr. Holland: You are a conscientious objector!

Mr, Lysiinr: No, line conscientious respecter of the law.

:The Prime Minister replied to some other statements-that had been mnde by other members, and he devoted a few sentences to reference to Mr. Lysnnr's case. "The honourable gentleman." said Mr. Massey, "is within his rights, and probably within the law. Indeed. 1 have an idea that in one of my communications to him I told him ,that he had not broken the law. Whether lie did. the right. thing' or not is another matter. Tnat is his business. But I should remind the honourable gentleman that while undoubtedly very big profits Were made, out' of our wool, we get some of those--profits back to New Zealand again." ; , Ifo,referred to tho sum of one million.ssjs>y hundred', thousand pounds which had been received by tiris country mis,. New Zealand's share of. theso . profits.:;;."".y ' ;Dr. ThackorfWhy don't you start n liousincischeme with itr ■Mr. Lysnar: What about the wool growers? They want the money to provide houses for their shearers. Mr. Massey said that Mr. Lysnar was' not: the only grower who had held back his wool. He stated also that the Imperial Government had been well satisfied witli the conduct of the New Zealand business iu connection with the commandeer by the New Zealand Government. Mr. I'raser: If there had been many like the member for Gisborne you would have had nothing to do! Mr. Massey: The member for Gisborne gave us his wool during the war period, but when the war ceased he told us that he would not send forward any more-of his wool. Whether, he did right or not is a matter of opinion. Personally 1 don't think there is a great deal in it. I don't think Mr. Lysnar is going' to get very much more for his wool than if he had sold it to (he Imperial Government iu tho ordinary way. ,' Mr ; Mitchell: If it was right- for other farmers to sell their wool through the • Government, it must'have bem right for Mr. Lysnar to do it.

Mr. Massey:.That is a matter of opinion. THOSE "WOOT PROFITS . Mr. Massey made a proposal to the woolgrowers in the House yesterday •as to how they might use the surplus profits on wool that the Government holds for distribution among them—an amount of .£1,600,000. "I would suggest, to the woolgrowers,' 1 said Mr. Massey, "that if they want to continue the patriotism they showed dur ing the war,' the proper tiling for them to do is to. hand the whole of it over to the Finance Minister. He will give them debentures for it, bearing a fail rate of interest, and the arrangement will'be for their own benefit and for the benefit of the country as well." • Mr. Eraser: Where does the member for Rangitikei come in? [The member for Rangitikei is Mr. Edward Newman, who has asked the woolgrowers to give the whole of their surplus profits to a fund for, the. benefit of British seamen of the mercantile mnrine and the Navy.] masseursTregistration DOOR OPENED WIDER. ' The Masseurs Registration Bill was considered by the, House in Committee last night. The Bill has been considerably amended by the Public Health Committee, andr nearly all the clauses to which exception was taken by practising masseurs and other practitioners have been deleted. All that the Bill provides for now is a register' of trained masseurs, and in order to get- on the register a masseur has to satisfy a board of examiners. There js nothing in the Bill to prevent unregistered persons from practising massage. • Mr. Stathani proposed that all masseurs who have now been practising throe years should., be entitled to registration, but the Min-' ister would not accept this proposal. The point wns discussed at some length, several members urging that the door should bo opened wide to all those already in the profession. The nicmbors pointed out that this principle had been adopted in tho registration of chemists, dentists, and accountants. "We want to crente a scientifically trained body of men nnd women for this most important branch of healing," said the Minister. "The day of the untrained masseur has gone, nnd massage is a 'recognised science requiring a high degree of skill." The ' Minister proposed (hat ony person who had been practising massage for three years during the past five yearn should bo entitled by right to registration. Mr. Statham accepted this amendment, which wa.s carvied. The effect of the amendment was to provide two roads to registration, one by actual practice for three years prior tii the passn.'.'o nf the Act, nnd tho other by certificate issued by the Mns- < • ■• i',-;<|f.|| : i m Board. Mr.' Holland (Bullcr) moved that an applicant for registration should have "the right to elect to have his competency dotormined either by practicnl_ demonstration or theoretical examination, or by both practical demonstration and theoretical examination." The Minister pointed out that this proposnl was utterly impracticable, 6incc qualifications could not be tested by a one-sided examination. Tho*amendment was rejected by 5-1 votes to 5. The Bill was set down.for third read ing.

The Hon. G. M. Thomson will shortly ask the Government when Mr. Bird's rcnorf. on education in Samoa and tho Cook Islands may bo ejpocted, and whether tho Council will be given an opportunity of discussing tho matter.