A PROTEST.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue LXVIII, 11 August 1914, Page 5

A PROTEST.

INVERCARGILL, Aug. 10. At a meeting of the. Southland League Executive Council yesterday, the president (Mr W. D. Hunt) drew attention to the proclamation prohibiting the export of all cereals, including oats. • He said that he could not help thinking that the proclamation had been issued without due consideration, and that it was a mistake. This was a producing country, and if they were going to prohibit the export of foodstuffs so that the people of the Dominion might have plenty, wrong means was being taken to accomplish that end. He considered that from the point of view of patriotism it was wrong that all foodstuffs should bo locked up in the country when they would perhaps be urgently needed iii other parts of the Empire. The only way to increase the amount of grain being produced was to make it profitable for farmers to grow it. The average farmer was compelled by commercial necessity to produce what paid him best, and prohibition of the export of grajn wou'.d not have the desirable beneficial effect upon the market. He knew a great many farmers who had enough to last them for two years, and they did not intend to save any this year, and to grow onts would be to defeat their own object unless they were allowed to export. The only way was to let the price mount, and wlien it had risen a little it- would have the effect of stimulating production. Mr Hunt moved: "That the meeting express its opinion that the Government had made a mistake, and that a letter be despatched stating the reasons for that view."

The motion was carried

COMFORTS FOR SOLDIERS

MEETING OF HAWERA LADIES

The meeting of ladies convened by the Mayoress, in response to Lady Liverpool's and Lady Godley's appeal, on Monday afternoon was largely attended, and at the request of Mrs Whittington. Mrs Barton was voted to the chair. The meeting was held for the purpose of considering the question

y of raiging funds with which to purchase , home comforts for tho soldiers of the expeditionary force. - 'A'he headmaster of the District High , School was present, and said the school ) was sending a complete ambulance out- , fit, and also that 50 girls would sew r an hour a day under the lady teachers . making suitable garments for the f soldiers. ; un tiie motion of Mesdames Kenrick » iina Blamires, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Strack, the staff ai,d scholars, and the offer cf the girls t was accepted. , A general committee was formed as , follows: The Mayoress (Mrs Whitting- , ton), President, Mrs Barton (vice-pre- , sident), and Mesdames Kenrick, Blamires, IN alder, Hutchinson, Williams bloan and Burgess. Mrs Barton said, with reference to the raising of subscriptions, that Captain Stevens had informed her tnat hv means of a street collection Stratford had on Saturday obtained £23'? She I suggested that this might be effectively f tried in Hawera. The suggestion was favorably received, and Mrs R. McLean was empowered to arrange for a contingent of young ladies to do this duty, probably on Thursday. There was a genera] discussion as to the advisableness of providing garments, etc., or as to sending money to the headquarters staff to expend for the benefit of the men. Eventually, on the motion of Mesdames Hawken and McLean, it was decided to raise one common fund, but this will not prevent ladies individually from contributing garments if they so desire. The acceptance of the school girls' offer was left in the hands of the general committee, who will arrange with the girls as to what they can make for the soldiers. Several other details were gone into, and the meeting closed with the customary vote to the chairwoman.