EXPLOITATION.

Marlborough Express, Volume LIII, Issue 166, 10 June 1919, Page 4

EXPLOITATION.

AUCKLAND FARMERS ON

PROFITEERING

.MEAT, WOOL, AND HIDES

Sweeping charges of exploitation against manufacturers and merchants were made At the concluding sitting;, on Saturday of , the Auckland Farmers' Union by Mr W. D. Lysnar, of Gisiborne, who moved: "That the New Zealand Government be urged to determine commandeering of New. Zealand produce at as early a date as possible, so as to prevent manufacturers and proutecrs from;exploit- • ing producers and consumers." All requisitioned products from New Zealand, he «aid, were sold in England at very :iumh higher figures "than, were paid for t|iom locally, and larger piofits were being made* by middlenen, manufacturers, and retailers under contract with the -. Imperial authorities. The New Zealand farmer was paid f.o.b. 5d per lb for beef. F.0.b.., charges could be taken ; at about ?d per lb, which was deducted from the od, leaving the farmer 4£d. It was officially recorded that this meat wag being sold by the Imperial authorities at Home for Is Id per ib wholesale, while retailers received an additional 9d for it. With, regard to wool, the Imperial authorities were not benefiting by the requisition, but they -ware selling it to> manufacturers at such low prices that /the latter wore making enormous pro- . fits out of it. Manufacturers' prices, for'articles made from Wool were un,<ler no restrictions whatever for civil requirements. The result was that ■■ manufacturers who got New Zealand1 ; uyppl.--ji.t-cost were charging in respect of New Zealand manufactured cloth. : }4s 6d per yard for what edst 6s per . yard before the war; and in respect. ; q'r English cloth 33s per yard. for vhat formerly cost 14s 6d. If the •producer were being paid for liis wooJ .'op the pre-war basis he would be receiving from 15s to 20s for it. Re-" ■tailers were in the habit, of ascribing the increasqd ..cost of goods to .the Tiigh.cost of-raw^material, but there., 'was not nore than^ half a crown's ,w.orth of, wool in a yatd of cloth,' for wl'icli' retailers were now receiving' from 20s to 40s. "If;you are,going: yfco ii.llow yourselves to be hoodwinked: in this way you are not worthy to ber 4 .classed as responsiblel citizens," ho said, amid applause. The farmer, he(■continued, had his hands tied as to, what he is to get for his .-, produce, but the hands of merchants and. retailers were not' tied. Farmers.were not receiving fair prices for. their hides, -as-compared with prices ch.arg- : ; eel for leather, goods. He stated that. ,I'idesi were sold at less, than Is per Ib, while tanners were! getting from. ■ 4s 6d to 5s lO.d ;per lb for leather1.; nrid the prices charged for boots and! .other leather goods, were enormously ill advance of pre-war prices., ■/. Mr J. Boddie, president of.' the* union, said he had had ample proof' of tlie accuratpuess of vMr_ Lysnar's statement. W^th regard to pricescharged for woollen.' goods by New Zealand manufacturers, instances had' come under his personal notice of . tweed that had been, offered for sale1 V

afc wholesale houses afc 29s 6d, per yard, while he was certain there was not .half a crown's worth of wool in. it. The facts were staggering, andf it was hard to say what' should be ■dona in the matter.

Mr Lyshar's motion was .carried.