Manawatu Evening Standard. Circulation, 3,500 Copies Daily WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1908. WOOL RETURNS AND WOOL KINGS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8713, 28 October 1908, Page 4

Manawatu Evening Standard. Circulation, 3,500 Copies Daily WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1908. WOOL RETURNS AND WOOL KINGS.

The Dunedin Star, a journal that is held to be amongst the staunchest supporters of the Government, estimates that the coming wool season will be a disastrous one for growers, and that their returns will show a decline, of over two millions, sterling. The prospect is not a pleasing one, and comes as an antidote to the Premier's astonishing optimism. It is hard to believe that our contemporary would launch this statement upon the country unless it had indubitable proofs of the soundness of its evidence. If these prognostications should unfortunately ' be justified by the event the country will be seriously affected, and the prevailing depression will bo deepened. Few people in 'the community fail to realise the effect of a dimimition in the wool receipts. The grower is the first to feel the strain, and after him the tradesman, and then the employee. Yet amongst the Jew who blind themselves to the

importance of 'good wool prices -are members of the Cabinet itself. When the wool returns for last year showed a drop of two million sterling over the 1906-7 season the Hon. 6. Fowlds delivered himself of this extraordinary statement:—

It is true that some of the prices of our leading products have been less last year than they were previously; but you have to bear in mincl that in one particular item— wool—the fall in price does not so readily reflect itself on the condition of the people as do eoine other items of .our (products—ll ax, for instance. The larger proportion of the wool revenue goes • into the pockets, of those who!' have__ been spoken of as the Wool Kings— wealthy people who, even in a bad year, have more money than they can spend in the ordinary course of business. A drop in the price of wool siynply means that they have so much less money for investment.

That 16 the Hon. George Fowlds on an industry which returns between five and six millions sterling annually. Of course, the lion, gentleman's reference to "wealthy people" and "Wool Kings", is an utter absurdity. The stock returns show that out of a total of 19,997 sheep-owners in the Dominion 19,219 have flocks of 5000 sheep and under, while no less than 7025. email farmers own less than 200 sheep each, and 4989 have flocks of a size varying from 200 to 500. But there is no heed, of course, for the small farmer to display anxiety about his wool returns, for have we not the Minister's assurance that " the larger proportion of the wool revenue goes into the pockets of those who have been spoken of as the "Wool Kings " ? Farmers and those who belive that the man on the land as the producer has most to do with the prosperity of the country may well ponder over the Ministerial statement. Mr Fowlds is not alone, however, in hia ignorance of the factors that maka for the real progress of the Dominion. The Hon. Mr Millar is of the expTes& ed opinion that— The country would not have a single shilling if it were not for the cities. It is as well that the country people should know what manner of men are now appealing for their support. No doubt the two Ministers mentioned would prefer to forget these utterances, which reveal their true attitude towards the producers, especially at a time when their chief is proclaiming himself the only friend and benefactor of the farmer. But the latter will easily see Where the Government's hostility towards him comes from, and will have no difficulty in deciding whether a Ministry containing such reactionary members is worthy of his support.