THE WOOL DEAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 January 1920, Page 8

THE WOOL DEAL.

QUESTION OF WITHHOLDING CLIPS. WHAT THE LAW SAYS. In these times when the price of wool is uncertain there have been suggestions that producers might profit by withholding their wool from valuation this year and shipping it or selling it locally nest year. Whether the owners of wool have any right tV withhold or withdraw their wool from valuation or from sale to the Government, is said to be an open question. Section 17 of the War Legislation and Statute Law Amendment" Act of 1918, is as follows: "The GovernorGeneral or any Minister of the Crown authorised by him for that purpose may, on behalf of His Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom, make such contracts as are deemed necessary for or relating to the purchase or acquisition of any goods' or merchandise produced in Hew Zealand and required, whether before or after the present war, for the necessities of His Majesty's Govenment." '

And "all contracts made heretofore during the present war by the GovernorGeneral or by any Minister of the Crown for the purpose aforesaid are hereby declared to be and at all times to have been of full force and effect. The clause quoted is the only legislation bearing upon the issue, 'it would appear that the purpose of the clauses was to make the contract, already binding upon the British Government, binding also upon (.he sellers in New Zenland. It does apepar to be binding on the producers of wool. The issue in the last resort, however, is one of law, and it is said to be not unlikely that the matter may be tested in that way.