ALLEGED EXPLOITATION

Otago Witness, Issue 3403, 4 June 1919, Page 27

ALLEGED EXPLOITATION

CHANGES AGAINST MANUEACTUitInKS AND MjaxKJilA.Nitt. (Fhom Oua Own Corhespondent.) J AUCKLAND, May 31. bwoeping charges of exploitations against manuiacturers and ixiercnants were made at tiie concluding sitting o* uie Auckland farmers' Union, by Mr W. D. Lysnar, of Gisborne, who moved that the New Zealand Government bo urged to determine upon the commandeering ©t New Zealand produce a* as early a date as possible, so as to prevent manufacturers and profiteers from exploiting producers and consumers.

Ail requisitioned products from New Zealand, he said, were sold in England at a' very much higher figure than were paid lor them locally, and large profits were being made by middlemen, manufacturers, and retailers Under contract with the Imperial authorities the New Zealand farmer was paid f.o.b, 5d per lb for beef. E.o.b. charge*, could be taken at about id per lb, which was deducted from the sd, leaving the farmer 4R It was officially recorded that this meat was being sold by the Imperial authorities at Home for Is Id per lb) wholesale, while retailers received an dilional 9d for it. With regard" to wool the Imperial authorities were not benefiting by the requisition, but they were selling it to the manufacturers at such low prices that t'ho latter were making enormous profit* out of it. Tiie manufacturers' prices for articles made from wool were under no restrictions whatever for civil requirements. The result was that manufacturers who got New Zealand wool at cost were charging in respect of New Zealand manufactured cloth 14s 6d i>er yard, for what cost 6s per yard before the war, and in respeot of English cloth 33s per yard for what formerly cost 14s 6d. If the producers were being paid for their wool on a pre-war basis they would be receiving, from 15s to 20s for it. Retailers were in the habit of ascribing the increased cost of goods to the high cost of raw material, but there was not more than half a crown's worth of wool in a yard of cloth for which retailers were now receiving from 2€s to 40s. "If.you are going to allow yourselves to be hoodwinked in this way, you are not worthy to be classed as responsible citizens," he 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 the merohants and retailers were not tied. Farmers were not receiving a fair price for their hides as compared with the prices charged for leather goods. He stated that hides were sold at less than Is per lb, while tanners were getting from 4s 6d to 4s lOd per lb for leather, and the prices charged for boots and other leather goods were enormously in advanco of pre-war prices. s Mr J. Boddie', president of the union, said he had had ample proof of the accurateness of Mr Lysnar's statement with regard to the prices charged for woollen goods by New Zealand manufacturers. Instances had come under his persona! notice of. tweed that had been offered for Bale at wholesale houses at 29s od per yard, while he was certain there was not half a crown's worth of wool in it. The facts were staggering, and it was hard to say what should be done in the matter. Mr Lysnar's motion was carried. .