H.—3Kb

20

bred, 9d. to lOd. ; superior crossbred, 10}d. to 12d. ; medium to good crossbred, 9d. to lid. ; inferior crossbred, 7fd. to 9d.; Lincoln and Leicester, Bfd. to-10}d. ; lambs, good, lid. to 1.3d.; lambs, medium, 9d. to 10§d. ? Hon. Mr. MacDonald : Yes. The following resolutions were agreed to by the conference : — " That this conference suggests that in each centre of delivery a committee of six—representative of the local Sheepowners' Union, Farmers' Union, and Agricultural and Pastoral Associations, shall be set up to deal with all questions arising locally affecting the purchase by the Government of the wool-clip ; further, that a central executive committee formed of three delegates from each Island, appointed by the local committees, shall sit in Wellington to confer with the Government on all other questions that may arise." "That the Government be asked to forego tho practice of deducting I lb. per hundredweight as draught on tho wool-clip now purchased, and to pay for the full weight of wool delivered." " That the Sheepowners' Unions for Otago and Southland, Canterbury, Marlborough, Hawke's Bay, and Poverty Bay, and the Farmers' Unions for Auckland and Wellington, be appointed the conveners of tho conferences to elect the local committees at the ports of delivery." Telegram from the Acting Prime Minister, Wellington, to the Right Hon. the Prime Minister OE New Zealand, London. Wellington, 22nd November., 1916. MacDonald met large conference of wool-growers to-day. Conference unanimously decided to accept offer of imperial Government for w001—55 per cent, advance 1913-14 prices on all. grades of wool. THE NEW ZEALAND OAZI'JTTE EXTRAORDINARY. Wellington, Thursday, 21st December, 1916. Requisition of New Zealand Wool. |l.s.| Liverpool, Governor. A Proclamation. Whereas by reason of the exigencies created by the present war it is necessary that further supplies of wool should be obtained by His Majesty for the clothing and equipment of His Majesty's Forces and for other purposes of the war : And whereas by Order in Council of the eighteenth day of November, one thousand nine hundred and sixteen, the export of wool from New Zealand to any destination is prohibited, save with the consent of the Minister of Customs : Now, therefore, I, Arthur William do Brito Savilo, Earl of Liverpool, the Governor of the Dominion of New Zealand, in exercise of the jirerogativo right possessed by His Majesty in that behalf in time of war, and acting by and with the advice and consent of tin- Executive Council of that Dominion, do hereby proclaim that all wool of this present season's clip in New Zealand is hereby requisitioned by and on behalf of His Majesty for the necessary purposes aforesaid in the manner and subject to the terms and conditions set out in the Schedule hereto. The Schedule. 1. The persons, firms, and companies mentioned in the Appendix I hereto, and hereinafter referred to as Government wool-brokers, will act as the agents of the Government of New Zealand in respect of the aforesaid requisition of wool. 2. All owners of wool shall, as soon as practicable, deliver their wool at the wool-store of a Government wool-brokej at one of the following ports —namely, Auckland, Tokomaru Bay, Gisborne, Napier, Wanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Blenheim, Christchureh, Timaru, Oamaru, Dunedin, and Invercargill. 3. All wool so delivered, and also all wool already in the wool-store of a Government woolbroker on the day of the making of this Proclamation, shall be examined, classified, and valued before shipment by two expert valuers, one of whom will be appointed by the Government, and the other of whom will be employed by the Government wool-broker in whose possession the wool is held. 4. If the two valuers are unable to agree as to the classification and valuation of any wool, it will be examined, classified, and valued by a supervising valuer to be appointed by the Government. 5. All such wool shall be classified and valued in accordance with the scale set forth in the Appendix II hereto, which shall be taken as representing the average prices of the various classes of wool as sold by auction in New Zealand in the month of January,'l9l4. 6. The Government will pay for all wool so valued a sum equal to the value so placed upon it, with the addition of 55 per cent, thereof. 7. Such payment will be made, free from Exchange, on the fourteenth day after the date of valuation, to the wool-broker in whose possession the wool is hold, and such wool-broker shall receive and account for the same as the agent and on behalf of the wool-owner. 8. On the receipt of such payment by the wool-broker he shall take possession on behalf of the Government of the wool so paid for, and such wool will thereupon become the property of His Majesty. Prior to such payment the wool shall remain the property of and at tho risk of the woolowner, but shall be kept insured against fire in its full insurable value by the wool-broker on behalf of the wool-owner at all times while in the possession of the wool-broker until payment as aforesaid. 9. Any wool may before payment therefor be rejected by the valuers, or, in case of their disagreement, by the supervising valuer, as being unmerchantable or not of the nature or quality required by the Government. Wool so rejected will not be taken by the Government.