SHILLING A POUND

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11833, 14 January 1933, Page 5

SHILLING A POUND

OFFER TO BUY AYOOL

FARMERS’ UNION SCEPTICAL

MORE INFORMATION SOUGHT

CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 12

■ There were exclamations of surprise at a meeting of the North Canterbury executive of the Farmers’ Union when a circular letter was received from the Co-operative Union of New Zealand, which has its headquarters in Hastings, offering to purchase this season’s dip of wool at an average price of Is; a lb. , “I don’t, believe it!’’ exclaimed Air. D. Hall, when the letter was read. “There must be a catch somewhere”, said the chairman, AD. Colin Atelntosh. Tic suggested that, further inquiries he made. The secretary said that the objects of the Co-operative Union were “to provide " every man. with constant work and constant pay.” The letter stated that Mr. Mason Chambers, of Havelock North, Hawke's Bay, had given a lead to the union at an average priqe of not less than Is a lb. Payment would he made when delivery was accepted. Any wool growers in the Canterbury district could obtain the Is a lb if they wished to do so. A woollen mil] and a preserving factory wore contemplated, and it had been decided to start building as soon as the Government gave an undertaking to exempt these industries from all taxation for five years. AD. AleTnfosh said the scheme was “too vague to swallow whole”. There "might be something in it. but it seemed unbelievable. A Member: Surely it would be better for this Co-operative Union to buy woo! at. +he sales. If was decided pot to take any action unUi further information regarding the scheme was obtained.

.TEST TAKEN SERIOUSLY. MR. MASON CHAMBERS’ EXPLANATION (tress Association-5 HASTINGS, Jan. 13. Interviewed this morning, w-Mh reference to a statement that bp sold his wool to the Co-operative Uni on of Now at Is a pound. Mr. Mason Chambers, the well-known, station holder of Havelock North, replied that the report had arisen from the fact that when an offer to buy at that price was made by too. union be had given a jesting answer, which apparently was taken seriously. The paragraph in which the statement was made has appeared in several city and. country papers. Mr. Chambers does not wish it to be believed tbat he takes the union ' and its schemes seriously. The ultra optimism of a Hastings resident may be gathered from the fact that several month? ago, lie called n; meeting, at which the chief topic for discussion was a proposed scheme to raise wool to 2s 6d a pound, more or loss immediately.