Growers Fear Threat Of Textile Combines

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32253, 23 March 1970, Page 16

Growers Fear Threat Of Textile Combines

The concentration of large sections of the manufacturing and distributing sections of the textile industry in a few hands, particularly if they were man-made fibre makers, could have a serious effect for woolgrowers, the managing director of the International Wool Secretariat, Mr A. C. B. Maiden, told a public meeting in Christchurch.

Mr Maiden, who was replying to a question on this subject, said he assumed that this was a reference to the recent bid by Imperial Chemical Industries in Britain for Viyella. The British Government, he said, had set up a committee of ministers under the Paymaster-General to determine whether this sort of thing should go on. The International Wool Secretariat was on rather tricky ground as far as intervening itself in this matter, and Mr Maiden and his colleagues had rather sought to influence organisations such as the British Wool Textile Delegation, the British Wool Marketing Board and even some other synthetic manufacturers who might be affected by the moves. There had, therefore, been continued pressure on the British Government not to agree to this and the indications were that there might be a favourable outcome, he said. Asked whether producers of wool should put money into a section of the industry to assure a market for their

product, Mr Maiden replied that he did not think that woolgrowers would be able to raise enough capital to enable them to do anything meaningful. The meeting was attended by almost 100 persons, including woolbuyers, representatives of wool brokers, farmers and scientists. Strong support for the work of the secretariat was expressed by the vice-chair-man of the meat and wool section of North Canterbury Federated Farmers, Mr B. H. Palmer, speaking at the close of the evening. It was costing farmers about 3 per cent of their gross income to run the secretariat, but he believed that they were getting good service for this cost. Farmers accepted responsibility for this cost and unless they were prepared to promote their product it would be difficult to sell the quantity of wool that they would be producing in a few years’ time. Mr Palmer said that the secretariat’s publicity was so good that they were well informed about it and were entirely satisfied with it.