Wool-marketing Authority Becoming “An Obsession”

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31904, 4 February 1969, Page 10

Wool-marketing Authority Becoming “An Obsession”

(New Zealand Press Association) INVERCARGILL, February 2. That the creation of a wool-marketing authority in New is “becoming an obsession” with the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Taiboys) is the view of Mr D. L. Ambler, the manager of Acroyd Bros (N.Z.), Ltd, world-wide wool merchants and buying brokers.

“I am slowly coming to that conclusion,” said Mr Ambler, in a statement today. “For the last six months, the Minister has lost no opportunity to support the formation of a so-called wool marketing authority as recommended by the Wool Study Group,” Mr Ambler said.

“It is, therefore, not surprising to hear that he has expressed disappointment at the Marketing Committee’s recent decision not to go ahead with the scheme. Apparently he will just not accept any decision which opposes his own personal wishes in this matter.

“His suggestion is that New Zealand farmers never really understood the scheme, and that had they done so they would have arrived at a different decision. “This attitude must be deplored in principle, and also because in this case it is not in line with the facts,” said Mr Amblei-. “The original Wool Study Group report, which included the recommendation to set up a ‘woolmarketing authority,’ was widely circulated throughout the farming community. Farmers were given the opportunity to study the report. “The Marketing Committee

eventually studied submissions from all sections of the wool trade, and its decision not to recommend the formation of a wool-marketing authority was undoubtedly made after the most careful deliberations. “Contrary to Mr Taiboy’s somewhat critical assessment

of its findings, I think the committee must be congratulated on reaching a decision which meets with the approval of not only the principal users of New Zealand wool, but also of most of the section they actually represent—the New Zealand sheep fanners,” Mr Ambler said.