COMMANDEERED WOOL. PROFITS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18549, 9 May 1922, Page 8

COMMANDEERED WOOL. PROFITS

MR POLSON’S VIEWS. SATISFIED WITH. POSITION. NO FURTHER ACTION ADVOCATED. (Pjs* United Press Association.) WANGANUI, May 8. “ Having given consideration to the question and read carefully the correspondence and cablegrams, I think the Government is right in informing the Farmers’ Union that it cannot see its way to consent to a friendly suit being brought against the Imperial Government in connection with the commandeered wool profits.” So said Mr W. J Poison, the dominion president-'of the Now Zealand Farmers’ Union,,when interviewed on the subject. Mr Poison says the correspondence outsets the argument between the Imperial and the New Zealand Governments, as to whether each of three contracts should be treated separately, but does not deal specifically with Mr William Milne and others, as to the differences between London and Now Zealand values. Tho argument of the British authorities; however, seems to dispose of both contentions; Looking through the bulky Parliamentary papers one is struck with the fact that the Prime Minister left no stone unturned to obtain ‘ everything possible for New Zealand woolgrowers, while it throws much fresh light upon the Imperial viewpoint. and gives one more sympathy with, the latter. It looks, judging from the initial letter from the War Office, as if. Londqg values were to be offered as a basis, plus 50 per cent. After reviewing tho earlier correspondence at length, Mr Poison says that, the cable sent to Mr Massey in London by the Acting-Prime Minister after a large conference of woolgrowefs, stating that the conference unanimously decided to accept tlw offer of the Imperial Government for wool plus at an advance of 55 per cent, on the 1913-14 prices on all grades of wool. That cable constituted the basis of the bargain. and it is quite evident that no question of London or New Zealand values was raised. It is important to note that in the schedule in the Gazette notice requisitioning the wool that appendix should bo taken as representing the average price of the various classes of wool ‘as sold 1 at auction in New Zealand l in the month of January, 1914.’ In fact,” Mr Poison went on. to say, ’ “the impression left on one’s mind after reading therhistory of the first wool contract, is that while no reference' was made to New Zealand and London prices, the former were in the minds of whoever drafted the schedule. The correspondence then goes on to deal with the, 1917-18 contract, and eventually the third contract from 1919 onwards, and was notable only for- the intervention of Mr Massey in modifying the contract, so that instead of New Zealand receiving half the profits actually realised on New Zealand wool the share of the profits so realised to be paid to New Zealand was calculated at the same rate per pound as, under the Australian contract, the result being to safeguard the New Zealand bonus from being materially lower than the Australian, owing to the larger proportion lof crossbred wool used for military purposes on which no profit would accrue.” After dealing with the remaining correspondence. Mr Poison expressed himself satisfied that, the Government is doing the right thing in not, tailing any further step. The Dunedin Anglican harriers held tneir weekly run from Paitifield School, about 30 members being present. M'Kenzie and Horder laid an excellent trail through ideal country that had not been crossed before. Leaving the school the pack, under Captain Gale and Deputies M/Millan and Eolfo, followed the paper across towards Brighton and back across the face of Saddle Hill, the main road being reached just on the town side-of the old Coach and Horses Hotel. From here a fast run was made, and Gale, Rolfe, M'Keman, and Storrie were, the first home, in that order. King's Counsel in Great Britain now number a little over 300, the, body having been swelled in March by the addition of 14 members of the Junior Bar of England. No fewer than 84 K.C.’s have been appointed since. Lord Birkenhead became Lord Chancellor in 1919. Amongst the latest recruits is Mr Joshua Scholefield, who was called to (he Bar of the Middle Temple in 1900 (writes the Post’s London correspondent). Mr Scholefield has a number of friends in New Zealand, for sonic years ago he visited the dominion, and his wife, who is a Now Zealander, was Miss E. Godfrey (of New Plymouth)'. Dining (ho war the creation of ••silks’’ was practically in abeyance, because of the absence of so many barristers in France and elsewhere. There are in all. including “silks,” about 10.000 members of the Bar, but a considerable proportion do riot practise. In point of date of admission, the senior K.C. at the moment is Mr Graham Hastings, who took “silk” in 1875. Slir Edward Clarke was admitted five years later. At a London welding a lady recently appeared as “best man” in suppo-.t of tho bridegroom.