Rise In Levy To Be Discussed

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30169, 28 June 1963, Page 10

Rise In Levy To Be Discussed

When-he returned to Christchurch yesterday after attending a meeting of the executive of the board of the International Wool Secretariat in London, the chairman of the Wool Board, Mr J. Aeland, declined to say how New Zealand would go about meeting an increase in its contribution to the secretariat to provide it with an annual promotion budget of £l3m. If the present rate of contributions is maintained, New Zealand will be required to contribute more than £3m a year and a spokesman of the Wool Board has been reported as saying that the present direct untiributlon of 7s M a bale from growers might have to go close to 20b Mr Aeland said that the Wool Board had approved in principle the proposal to raise the secretariat's budget to £l3m. It was hoped that this aim could be achieved as soon as possible. Mr Aeland said he would be reporting to a meeting of his board next week and the question of the levy would be discussed by the board, with the electoral committee of the board at the en<k of next month and subsequently “with growers wherever possible. A statement would not necessarily be made after the Wool Board's meeting next week. Australian Action Mr Aeland had with him a press report from Australia saying that the chairman of the Australian Wood Board. Sir William Gunn, had proposed to a meeting of the Australian Wool Industry Conference that the promotion levy in Australia should be raised from 10s a bale to 445. lit has also been reported from Australia that the Wool Industry Conference will have to reach a decision about the levy by January 11. This is just before the meeting of the full board of the International Wool Secretariat, which will begin in New Zealand on January 15. It was difficult for people

in New Zealand, which had a population of r about 2.5 m, to realise how much money was required to reach 300 m people in Europe, almost 200 m people in the United States, and nearly 100 m people in Japan, said Mr Acland. Holding Prices Asked whether he believed that the secretariat could hold prices for wool at reasonably payable levels to growers no matter what the course of synthetic prices, as had been suggested by the managing director of the secretariat. Mr W. J. Vines, during his New Zealand visit. Mr Acland said that he was confident that this could be done provided that the demand for wool ami wool products was promoted.

During his overseas visit Mr Aeland met many officers of the secretariat and he visited branches of the secretariat in France, Germany and Holland. He said that he was most impressed with the calibre of the men who were working for the secretariat. The average age of the directors of its 17 branches was under 40 years. The secretariat was most fortunate in its new director in Paris, Mr A. de Vandiere, who had replaced the late Mr J. Webber. The whole, organisation, he said, was working extremely well and was making great progress Mr Aeland said that he would not care to predict the course of prices at the crutailing sales in the late winter and spring. < but he said he had gathered from his visit to the carpet wool industry in the United States that there were a lot of unfilled orders.

Service Stations.—The following officers were elected at the annual meeting of the Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Service Station Proprietors’ Federation: president, Mr D A. Anderson: vice-presidents. Mews J. Kelly and M. Mclver; coni'mittee. Messrs M J. Hur.a, J. O. Stevens, J. M. White, R. A. Britton. P. KeUaway, E. R Lindstrom. C. W Randall. H. N. Thompeon. and B. S Carroll: honorary auditor, Mr N. W. Whyte.