DEMAND FOR N.Z. WOOL

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25081, 13 January 1947, Page 6

DEMAND FOR N.Z. WOOL

EFFECT OF SHIPPING DELAYS ALTERNATIVE IN SOUTH AMERICA “ The Press " Special Service WELLINGTON, January 12. The possible effect on the market for New Zealand wool of the delay in shipping purchases overseas was mentioned yesterday by Mr G. A. Duncan. chairman of the Wool Disposal Commission. He said that in South America there were stocks of the finer sorts pf wool now in demand by Britain and the United States. A recent cable message from Bradford had mentioned that there might be a revival ofyagitation for improved import facilities for this wool, which had been virtually excluded hitherto. If this found its way to the market, it might affect the future realisation values of New Zealand wool. Mr Duncan said that the Joint Wool Organisation in London had asked the New Zealand commission to expedite shipment of certain sorts of wool; but first preference in shipping had to go to the purchases of the regular buyers. Buyers’ wool from the September and October appraisals had mostly been shipped; but the bulk of the purchases from the November sales was still in New Zealand. Recent cablegrams from London had mentioned the possibility of relieving the shortage on the market by the release of stocks held by the joint disposal organisation, but these now included little of the sorts in greatest demand. Already about 195,000 bales of New Zealand stock wools had been sold in the United Kingdom sales since September. The offerings from stock cleared at the sales this season in New Zealand totalled about 107,000 bales, and stocks of past seasons’ wools held by the commission approximated 760,000 bales. In the latter, the proportion of fine crossbred and halfbred was low, as these sorts were in greatest, demand towards the end of the war and since. United States demand for them could not be satisfied. Storage Difficulties

With the wet spring, said Mr Duncan, shearing was delayed in New Zealand, and there was now a great rush of wool from the farms to the stores. This was causing an acute storage difficulty for the brokers and had in some cases to refuse further consignments. This in turn considerably inconvenienced growers, not many of whom had adequate storage space. A further problem arose where a number of smaller growers used the same shed and one grower’s wool had to make way for the next shearing. Realisation delays also incommoded growers. During the application of war-time bulk purchase prompt day was 14 days after appraisal, and though payment under the resumed auction system was not as speedy as that, the postponement of the sales would hold up payments to growers still further.

With the extra delay in quitting sold wool, brokers were facing an acute storage problem, not only in their own stores but also in the emergency stores that they had occupied for war purposes. The Wool Disposal Commission, said Mr Duncan, was co-operating with them in finding space as far as was possible and was making some of its own emergency space available to them. The accumulation of the season’s clip provided an added labour problem for the brokers, for, apart from additional handling because of the limitation of bale size, which called for some repacking, sold lots had to be moved to emergency storage to make room for fresh consignments from the growers.

The problems of shipowners had already been adequately stated, said Mr Duncan, but in his opinion the suggested diversion of ships from the New Zealand trade to the River Plate might have serious effects on the Dominion’s overseas trade. It would not only affect the movements of wool but could affect the whole of the import and export trade. DIVERSION OF WHEAT SHIP LABOUR SHORTAGE AT WELLINGTON (P.A.) NEW PLYMOUTH, Jan. 12. Although the intercolonial motor vessel Karitane, with a cargo of wheat from Port Pirie, South Australia, was diverted to New Plymouth from Wellington because no labour was available to work her there, it is doubtful if the position will be any better when work resumes on the New Plymouth waterfront to-morrow morning. The Karitane arrived on Saturday afternoon and, from inquiries made by her officers, it seems she may have to stand down in favour of other vessels. The wharves will be full this morning and labour will probably be short again. The chairman of the New Plymouth branch of the Waterfront Industry Commission (Captain A. G. Hardy) said to-night that he could not say what the position would be until to-morrow. The Karitane has 2874 tons of wheat. It is expected that this will be railed to Wellington for distribution there. AUCKLAND UNIONS SATISFIED

CALLING OF FEDERATION CONFERENCE

AUCKLAND. January 12. The calling, of a special conference of the Federation of Labour is expected to satisfy the demands of Auckland Trades Council and executives of individual unions which have been requesting a meeting of the federation’s national council, according to the president of the Auckland Trades Council (Mr A. Drennan). He said it was hoped the conference would find some way out of the dispute which he presumed would move to the fore-

front of the conference’s discussions if no settlement had been reached by that time. Observers of the dispute, including union officials in Auckland, are hopeful, however, that the meeting of the national council of the Waterside Workers’ Union, which starts in Wellington on Tuesday, will bring a solution to the prolonged dispute. x