CONTROL OF WOOL.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 134, 9 June 1925, Page 12

CONTROL OF WOOL.

STABILISING THE MARKET. QUEENSLAND CONVENTION. BAWRA'S ASSISTANCE. (By TclcgTflpli.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Monday. Tlie Director-General of Agriculture, Dr. Keakes, stated this evening that official cabled advices hnd been received from Melbourne by the Department of Agriculture, to tlie'effect that at a convention of Queensland graziers it had been decided that immediate steps be taken to provide for the stabilisation of the wool market. It was urged that Sir John Higgins, chairman of the Uawra organisation in Australia, should submit a scheme. Sir John Hig B ins, Dr. P.enkes said, replied that what was necessary was that ■ some degree of certainty should be established, and that a majority of the Australian wool groups would accept a scheme fur systematic realisation of wool before negotiations could be definitely initiated respecting finance, seeing that a very great amount of money would be involved. He had cabled to London (presumably to Sir Arthur Goldfinch, who had been head of the Bawra London organisation), and had been advised that there was every prospect that satisfactory financial arrangements could be made provided a majority of the wool groups supported the scheme. A further cablegram from Melbourne states that a large meeting of the Farmers' Union and the Chamber of Agriculture unanimously decided to ask Sir John Higjrins to submit a scheme for stabilising wool values, and also endorsed the Brisbane proposals. It was suggested that a Xew Zealand representative be in Melbourne on June 23, when a further meeting will be held, and when an invitation to attend the meeting is certain to be given.

The above embodies the information received, said Dr. Keakes, and it can be concluded from it that the Australian wool growers are seriously considering taking; steps to establish an organisation on the lines of Bawra to control the marketing of their wool, and that a tentative invitation is extended 1 to New Zealand growers to join with them. This is a matter for the New Zealand wool growers themselves to consider. It is known that at least one well-known Dominion pastoralist will attend the Melbourne meeting on June 23.

It must be borne in mind that the bulk of the Australian clip consists of Merino wool, with a good deal of halfbred, and that Australia, through her big production in these fine wools, has a big say in the wool market as regards this class of wool, whereas New Zealand wool is principally of the crossbred type, in which the Dominion is only one among other countries, notably Great Britain and the Argentine, which produce wool of the crossbred type in large quantity. Thus if an attempt is to be made to stabilise the wool market by commercial methods Australia is relatively in a much stronger position than is New Zealand. The question is ono obviously calling for careful thought and the greatest caution on the part of New Zealand wool growers, and is certainly not one upon which any commitment should be made without careful inquiry and full knowledge of what methods of marketing are actually contemplated.