RIVALS TO WOOL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 46, 3 December 1938, Page 2

RIVALS TO WOOL

INCREASING COMPETITION. PRODUCERS URGED TQ ACT. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Oocomber, 2. The urgent necessity of action by the wool industry and by tli.e Governments of wool-producing countries to counteract the increasing competition of artificial fibres was emphasised to-day by Mr Alan Cambridge, a run-holder, of Omnrama, who recently returned from an extensive tour of the United States, Canada and Great Britain. “The other day I read the remarks of a director of an English firm, given in an interview in Wellington, in which ‘it was stated that wood pulp fibre would never affect the market for wool, and, in fact, would increase its use,” said Mr Cambridge. “You can take it from me that that is only propaganda. The fibre people are only trying to lull us into a sense of security until it is-too late to take any steps to combat wood pulp products. Unless we do something soon it will, be too late, and the wool industry will be in the same position as were the cotton people when rayon products began to flood the markets of the wokld.

* Propaganda in Bradford. “The ) contention that artificial staple fibre will not affect the wool industry is utterly absurd. Here is something definite to back up my words. The same firm whose director gave the interview is < carrying out a subtle piece of propaganda at Bradford, where it has built mills fully 'equipped with modern machinery solely to demonstrate to the Yorkshire trade how synthetic fibre can be used on standard wool machinery. It wishes to show the Bradford buyers that they can use a lot less wool by using the wood pulp product. “This fibre will not wholly take the place of wool, but it will certainly seriously affect the industry,” Mr Cambridge continued. “The position is not hopeless, but it has to be faced. There is an organisation' in England—the International Wool Publicityy arid! Research Secretariat—and it could fight the danger if given sufficient funds. This body is doing excellent work, and New Zealand is fortunate in having as its representative on the secretariat Mr S. Arthur, of Dunedin, whose services have come in for much favourable comment. At present the secretariat is severely handicapped because of lack of money, and it is time something was done to remedy this.

“It is essential that the Governments concerned should assist .in contributing the necessary funds to enable the secretariat to fight this distinct menace to the future of the wool industry,” said Mr Cambridge in conclusion.