THE WOOL QUESTION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17328, 17 November 1916, Page 4

THE WOOL QUESTION.

UNFORTtrxATKi/r, the information is confirmed that .the growers are disinclined to have' their wool commandeered on the terms offered by the Imperial Government—namely, 45 per cent advance on 1913-14 prices—and have asked for payment on the basis of last season's values. We have been iniormed that our comment on this subject yesterday ignored some of the essential circumstances. The Newt Zealand pastoralists. we are told, feel it Is unfair that this country should be singled cut for special treatment. They object to tho local clip being commandeered while those of South Africa and Australia .are permitted the advantages of an open market. They think, also, in regard to the meat scheme that the New Zealand producer has not had a fair run—first because the British farmer is permitted to make huge profits, which, by the way, are, exempted from the war profits tax } and secondly because the surplus of New Zealand meat over Imperial requirements has heen disposed of under conditions that go to prosper speculators. They believe, too, that the same objection is like|y to prevail in respect of commandeered wool. Now, these contentions are not, now to us, nor are they devoid of foundation. The " Lyt~ telton Times" has on several occasions supported the protest against speculation in London with part of the Dominion's commandeered meat, and we say again that speculation ought to, be stopped and that precautions against similar treatment in respect "of wool might reasonably ,bo asked for. "We know, too, that farmers in .Britain, in common with shippers and all sorts of people, have been revelling in war. gains, to their own disgrace and to the discredit of the British Government for allowing it. As lor the South African and Australian wool, we should like to see that obtained by the Imperial authorities at fair rates, commandeered for war purposes, and in. this there may exist a more or less legitimate grievance on the part of tho New Zealand grower. But two blacks do not make a white, nor two wrongs a right, and it is a fact that the British wool clip, at all events, ; has bcem commandeered. In our remarks yesterday, however, we, were not discussing whether or not the local wool should be commandeered, but the price at which it-shcmld be taken. And, from all that we have been able to discover by carefully watching the proceedings, that was 'also the essential question before the conference. The delegatos appear not'to have objected to the commandeering—-what they wanted was more money than the imperial Government offered. Since tho proposition put before the conference was unquestionably a generpus one we can only regret that it was not. accepted straight off, cheerfully' and thankfully; and if as is possible, tinygrowers are compellod to take the offer, grudgingly, we are sure they will share our regret. The bona fide grievances to which we have referred were not the subject of the conference, nor will they bo removed or lessened in the slightest if the Imperial Government, for the sake of peace, agrees to the higher scale of values which is the present bono' of contention. Another point which has-' apparently received less consideration than it deserves is that of shipping and freight. During the last few weeks the farmers have been complaining, probably with reason, over increased freight .rates on wool calculated to cost them £1.000.000 for the season. The commandeering of the clip not only relieves the growers of anxiety concerning the supply of vessels but also saves them the £1,000,000 of additional charges ovor which they have been indignant. So that looking at the subject from raviolis angles, the conviction is strengthened that the conference h&s made a mistake.