WOOL PRICES.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16272, 24 July 1918, Page 2

WOOL PRICES.

TO THE EDITOR OF "THE rRESS." I /Sir, —Another dove has been sent ont of the political aria, tins time to sound the woolgrowers about a proposal *o hand the whole cf our wool surplus to a fund for the benefit of the sailors of the Navv and mercantile marine. So doubt the cause is a worthy one. but many of us have already contributed j liberally to this 6r a similar fund under | some other name, and—would you believe it?—no message has been attached to the wing of the dove to give us the slightest idea of the amount we are being asked so indirectly to contribute, i No one cares to sign a blank cheque, I I and wo woolgrowers are already making : large concessions towards war expense-, I inasmuch a.i the Imperial Government ia paying ns at least sixpence per lb less than they actually oifercd us for, the last two seasons' clips, which thi»v' commandcered, and no wonder they are now sending some douecur, as ours is the cheapest wool they have handled. Now that the owners of slipe wool havo succeedcd jn getting the Imperial Government to correct the blunder, evidently made by soireone in authority here, and are obtaining that sixpence per lb, or more, for all their wool it astonishes me that our Government will not admit the mistake and so obtain a like measure of justice to the ownc p s of greasy wool. The point raised that tho owners of grensy are pi id cash heie for their wool, while the slipe wool people receive it in London, is onlv a subterfuge. which the banks can rectify. The position of affairs to-day when heavy losses must be faced by slieep-owne-rs, owing to the snow-storm, renders it necessary for them to look at both sides of fixpence before - parting with it. and Mr Buddo's reply to Sir Newman that he could not speak for ! othc-rs, was most diplomatic. I don't know Mr Newman, but there is always someone ready to be generous wi*li other people's monev, nnd claim all the credit 'or good-heartedness. |

Everv penny per lb on our annua! wool clip mens about n million pounds storlinq to Dominion finance, and 'he loss of sixpence per lb for two years will give some iden of the magnitnide of thn mistake. Will Mr Newman make a like "proposal to the dairymen about the hotter cur plus?—Yonrs. etc., SHEEP-FARMEE.