Wanted: A Wool Board

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 281, 24 August 1944, Page 4

Wanted: A Wool Board

Sir, —If you want to know the price of a car, you ask the local Mr. Ford, and take it or leave it. But if you want to know the position regarding wool, do you ask the farmer? You do not. You ask the politicians and their henchman, and take what they tell you with reservations. Mr. Christie admits that I wrote. “The woolgrower has no voice in present negotiations” and then blandly attempts to discuss negotiations which took place five years ago. This is a well-tested political apparatus for smudging the sharp edges of every issue when brought forward for discussion. So let us hear about present negotiations. Or does he wish to confess there are no present negotiations, and that his Government is adopting the policy of the folded hands. The present agreement is for the period of the war. and one clip after. The reading of this is of extremely serious import todav. for if the war should end in, say. October, the “one clip after” could be this season’s clip. And by July next we would sell our annual clips in competition with an enormous unsold stockpile of 12,000,000 bales, plus a complacent Government and a Wool Council with restricted powers'. The matter of Mr. Christie discussing business with Mr. Nash by word of mouth has already been mentioned iu the Wool Council. It is again pointed out that communications should be by written statements from both sides. The future of our wool is of national importance, and such slack methods would not be tolerated in any other business of such magnitude. The suggestion by Mr. Christie that nothing should be said about his latest projected trip (because it is still under consideration) is delightful. Farmers are to be kept in the dark till Str. Christie has dodged the issue of the proposed Wool Board and his ship is on the bounding tide for London. But at any rate we have found a spokesman, and having communed with him on the extraneous matters he has raised, we can now ask him: (1) Will Mr. Fraser, or Mr. Nash, attend the annual meeting of the Electoral College on August 30 and explain the wool position to the representatives of the farming community? (2) If the Wool Council refuses to sanction the trip Mr. Christie proposes to take to London, will the Government deem his trip of sufficient importance to pay his expenses with ratepayers’ money? (3) Will the Government give effect to Electoral College recommendations askin’ for amending legislation giving the Wool Council the same status as meat and dairy boards?—l am. etc., L. T. DANIELL. Masterton. August 23. Day Nurseries Sir, —Replying to the letter of Chairman Smith, N.Z. Smith Family (Inc.), regarding the inaccuracy of the statement, “concerning the present members of committee of the Citizens’ Day Nurseries acquiring the Vivian Street property,” that in not mentioning the Smith Family for their marvellous generous assistance, no slight or lack of appreciation was intended. We are grateful to this large and benevolent family. The article was really written to notify the Wellington public that the delightful new playroom bad been completed and that we were indebted to the Minister of Education, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, Dr. Beeby. and Mr. C. Robertson, and thanking them for their assistance and co-operation, as was accorded to the Smith Family through the Press for their magnificent help six years ago.

We also desire to thank the Macarthy Trust, Commercial Travellers’ Club, Loekie Estate, and the many generous friends whq have donated sums of money regularly every year since the inception of the nursery.—We are. etc., ETHEL TOWNSEND, President, BELL CABLE, Acting Hon. Secretary. Wellington. August 23.