SEEDY WOOL.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16117, 23 January 1918, Page 7

SEEDY WOOL.

ALLEGED SHORT PRICE. DEPUTATION TO PRIME MINISTER. (press association telegram.) WELLINGTON, January 22. A deputation of farmers waited upon tho Prime Minister to-day to state their grievances regarding tho prico being paid, for inferior wools. Mr G. V. Pearce, M.P., said that when the conference was held at which arrangements were made for commandeering New Zealand wooi 4 a condition of purchase was that growers siiouid get 55 per cent, on tho pre-war priced. As tuo scliemo was working out it was not quite satisiactory xo larmers. 'iliey were satisfied with tue prices tney wero getting lor tleec6 wool, Out not witn prices paid tneiu tor crutciungs, pieces and seedy woois, tor wnicn tuey certainly wero not being paid 55 pur cent, more than prewar rates, -it a conference oi farmers, or wnich the deputation was the outcome, a suggestion was made that tiiey snould be allowed to send any soeuy wool to be sold at tlioir own l'isK m any country where they could tind a market. lie did not think any member of tho deputation favoured that pi oposai. Another suggestion was that any farmer wno thougnt the valuation oi his wool was very lowshould bo allowed to hold the wool for a free market at the end of tho war. A further suggestion was that farmers should themselves put up a carbonising plant, to. cost about £20,000, and that the Government should assist.

Mr W. S. Bonnott, chairman of the Woolbrokers' Association, said the chicf valuer stated at Napier that in no instance had a valuer been instructed to take into consideration tho cost of cleaning soedy wool. Tho buyers' practice was to make a deduction only on account of tho amount of seed in the wool, and the actual deterioration of the wool, consequent upon tho presence of seed. Tho valuers contended that tho values being made were equivalent to 55 per cent, more than pre-war prices for all kinds of wool.

Mr Massoy said he wished members of tho deputation to get rid of any impression thoy might havo that the Government wished to got the better of the producer in anyway. In this ho could speak for tho Imperial as well as the New Zealand Government, because ho had heen in England, and a party to negotiations when the bargain was made. Ho was of the opinion that tho bargain had worked well. It had been pointed out that the only deduction made in tho value of seody wool was on account of deterioration that actually took place because of tho presence of seed, and ho hoped as a result of the deputation no more would be heard of tho grievance. Another grievance raised lately was in regard to the draft on wool. " He did not believe tho deduction a fair one, but it had existod for at least half a century, and naturally, when tho Imperial Government made arrangements for the purcliaso of the wool, tho nurchase was made upon existing trade "customs. He thought tho custom ought to ho removed, but he thought it unfair that farmers should try to cot rid of it by bringing pressure" on the Government now. He would have no objection, nersonallv, to farmers being allowed to hold seedy wools-, but it would have to bo understood that no export of wool could bo allowed. He promisod to consider the suggestion that the Government should assist in the erection cf works for cleaning wool. There wore plants in existence for tho extraction of seed from wool bv mechanical means tho charge made being fournor neund of clean wool. The Government had had quantities of wool treated at these works, and it would t o +" fanner +o have their wool eonnod before offering it for valuation.