NO WOOL BOUGHT BY JAPAN

Southland Times, Issue 23379, 10 December 1937, Page 4

NO WOOL BOUGHT BY JAPAN

Fear Of Waterfront Trouble Suggested

INFORMATION SOUGHT BY MR COATES

PRIME MINISTER DENIES KNOWLEDGE

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, December 9.

A possibility that a suggestion of waterfront difficulties might have prevented Japan from operating at the New Zealand wool sales was mentioned by the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates (Nat, Kaipara) in an urgent question which by leave of the House he addressed to the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) immediately after the luncheon adjournment in the House of Representatives today. The Prime Minister, in his reply, said there was no reason to fear any difficulty in that direction.

Mr Coates said he had received an urgent communication from the South Island asking him to ascertain whether it was true that Japan could not operate at the Dominion wool sales because the Prime Minister was unable to give an assurance that wool for Japan would be loaded at New Zealand ports. He asked the Prime Minister for a definite statement on the subject.

“Until the right honourable gentleman drew attention to this matter this morning,” said Mr Savage, “I had not heard of it. The Government is called on to do many things, but I think we will be able to measure up to this. I am not in a position to say why Japanese buyers are not operating at New Zealand wool sales, but I see no reason in the wide world why they should have any fear whatever of any difficulty in having their wool loaded at the ports. To ask any Government to guarantee the future is too much, but I see no reason at all why the buyers should not operate freely.” Mr W. J. Polson (Nat., Stratford): The men refused to load tin for Japan. The Prime Minister: This is not tin. This is wool. An Opposition member: They might refuse to load wool, too.