MARKETING OF WOOL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 140, 26 March 1930, Page 3

MARKETING OF WOOL

! FARMERS' UNION VIEWS. REDUCED FREIGHTS WANTED. (Special to the "Guardian.*") WELLINGTON, March 25. No Board is to be set up to deal with the marketing of wool, but inquiries are to be made with a view to obtaining a reduction of freights. Discussion upon the advisability of setting up a Wool Realisation Board in New Zealand took place at, the meeting of the Dominion executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union todsv It was pointed out that little coyld be done until the Domijiion had the co-operation of Australia, and it was decided eventually to direct attention to a reduction in freights. Mr H. D. Acland (president of the N.Z. Sheepowners' Federation) said the difficultv with regard to the marketing of ,wool was that New Zealand produced onlv a small portion of the world's output. If the buyers were restricted in New Zealand they might refuse to attend the sales. He did not see how New Zealand could form any organisation which would be able further to protect New Zealand producers. It might be possible to get something done in regard to wool freights, but he could not see where a wool board was going to help them. They would have to be extremely careful not to fall out with the buyers. Anything New Zealand attempted would have to be undertaken in conjunction with Australia, as New Zealand was too small to take action en her own behalf. Mr H. M. Rushworth, M.P., asked if there would be any chance of anything being done if Australia and New Zealand did combine. Mr Acland said that Sir John Higgins (chairman of the British and Australian Wool Realisation Association) has evolved a scheme, but this had been turned down. Mr J. G. Anderson (Pelorus) said that conditions regarding marketing had greatly changed within recent years. It "would be folly for individuals to attempt to market commodities to-day. The wool-growers of the Dominion were not in a position to know exactly what marketing conditions at Home were, and the brokers bad little more information. A small lew upon wool-growers would produce a large sum and enable them to employ the best commercial brains in the world. It would appear as if there bad been for some time past, continued Mr Anderson, combination among the buyers, and it was just as logical to.suggest that there should be combination among the sellers. The Farmers' Union had been discussing the establishment of n Wool Board for the past five years, and they would be studying their own interest in adopting the scheme which had been brought down by the Special Committee. Mr J. H. Joll (Havelock North) said be had been one of the committee which had waited upon the Minister, but they had been told that unless the farmers obtained the co-operation of the Sheepowners' Federation and the Brokers, the Government could do nothing.