WOOL INTERESTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25054, 18 November 1944, Page 8

WOOL INTERESTS

CONFEBENCE NEXT YEAR DELEGATES FROM DOMINION (P>A> ) DUNEDIN, Friday "Since the original arrangement was made whereby the Wool Council appointed representatives to attend the conference about wool matters in London in November, further communications have been received by the New Zealand Government from the British Government," said the president of the Otngo and Southland Shcepowners' Union, Mr John Andrew, in a statement today. "Tlu-so communications materially altered the position, compelling all parties concerned to review their attitude," lie continued. "The matter is now in hand and a conference is to be held in London early in 1945, when representatives of the Dominions interested, Australia, South Africa, Canada and New Zealand, will be present. "To secure representation from producers in New Zealand the Sheepowners' Federation, the Farmers' Union and the electoral college of the Meat Board have been asked to forward the names of suitable representatives, and from those the Prime Minister will select two. The producers so selected, together with the Government nominees an 3 representatives of other interested bodies, will attend this conference." REPRESENTATION IN NOVEMBER BEPLY MADE TO MR WARREN (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Friday "The statement by Mr G. C. Warren, of Dar field, on the subject of the wool conference in London in November is misleading, and 1 can best reply to jt by a plain statement of the facts." said Mr 11. M. Christie, chairman of the Wool Council, referring to a Christcliiireh message published on Tuesday. "Mr Warren staled that I had advised him that Mr F. S. Arthur would probably represent New Zealand and that he replied to me that ho had nothing left to do but concur with the decisions made. "I arranged for telegrams to bo sent to tlio four members of the Wool Council suggesting that certain cablegrams bo sent to London and asking whether they concurred. This was done as the matter was urgent and it would have taken too long to arrange a meeting of the council. Three members, including Mr Warren, replied concurring. The fourth member has not yet replied "The decision is that of the council members, including Mr Warren, and telegrams show clearly bow absurd his statement is that there was nothing left for him to do but concur," said Mr Christie.

WOOL-DEALING LICENCES CONFUSING REGULATIONS CHIEF JUSTICE'S CRITICISM (0.C.) GISBORNE, Friday Criticism of what he termed "the extraordinary regulations governing the issue of licences for dealing in wool" was made by the Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, during the trial in Gisborne of Alexander Baillie, a wool dealer, who was found guilty of purchasing wool other than in accordance with the terms of his licence and fined £2. "I have found the regulations very confusing and difficult to reconcile," His Honor said. "They are very unsatisfactory." His Honor added: "Regulation 165 laid down an absolute prohibition against all dealings in wool, that regulation having been made on September 14. 1939, Tho prohibition was modified by Regulation 268, made by the Minister of Marketing on December 14, 1939. That regulation provides that the Minister of Marketing may grant partial or complete exemption from the terms of Wool Regulation 165. Any such exemption *may be revoked by the Minister and may be varied by the Minister as he thinks fit. Regulation 268, however, brings into operation another set of regulations, the Primary Industrial Emergency Regulations, 1939, which are administered, not by the Minister of Marketing, but by the Minister of Agriculture. "It seems to me that in respect of a licence issued under Regulation 165 you may have dual control by two departments and two Ministers," continued His Honor. "Which of these is to operate 1 do not know, I cannot find any form of licence provided for in the Primary Industrial Regulations, and no form is prescribed in the Wool Emergency Regulations. Whether the provisions' of Regulation 208 are valid mav be. I think, arguable."

TWO NEW AWARDS MINOR WAGE INCREASES Two industrial awards have been issued by the Arbitration Court applying to all New Zealand except Marlborough and Westland, one covering canvas workers and related trades and the other saddlers, harness makers, colla.' makers and bag makers, Both awards embody the terms of settlement arrived at between the parties in Conciliation Council. Various increases in wages are provided. In the Harness makers award the minimum of 2s 9d an hour for journeymen saddlers and bag and trunk (other than fibre) makers represents an increase of Jd for saddlers and of Id for bag and trunk makers. Other journeymen's wages are not altered. There is a new provision that a worker who has commenced in this branch of the trade after the age of 18 shall be paid 2s 7d an hour after completing three years' service. The wages of youths, which now range from £1 Is 6d to ,C 3 10s. have been increased by from Is lid to 3s 6d. Junior female workers have received Is increase, and there is an increase of 5s for jourueywomen in fancy leather goods and of 2s'fid for other jourueywomen. In the canvas workers' award journeymen except sailmakers receive $d an hour increase. Youths receive increases of from Is 6d to 3s 6d and junior females of Is, as in tho other award, and journeywomen got an increase of 2s 6d. There is a new provision that journeywomen placed in charge of two female workers shall receive 2s 6d a week extra or 5s extra if tliev are in charge of more than two. Both awards are for 12 months from November 20.

TROUT FISHING SEASON (0.C.) TAUPO, Friday Few anglers are fishing in the district at present. That the sport is improving in the Waikato River between the dam and the Huka Falls is shown by recent catches near the dam. Two American visitors who had never fished before had a good week's sport. One of them landed the biggest fish so far taken from tho Waikato River this season. It weighed Bjib and was in fair condition.