More contributors to wool funds sought

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32634, 16 June 1971, Page 1

More contributors to wool funds sought

Suggestions that processors, like topmakers, should seek to find a method of levying themselves to assist with wool promotion were made at the recent meeting of the International Wool Textile Organisation in Washington.

Remarking on this point when he returned to New

Zealand yesterday afternoon, the chairman of the Wool Board (Sir John Acland) said that the intention was not to ease the burden on wool producers in contributing funds for promotion.

The wish was to increase the funds that were available not only for advertising and publicity but also for teCh-

nical assistance to the industry.

The multi-fibre processor had to be influenced in every way to use wool rather than some other fibre.

During the meeting, Sir John Acland said that seven of the most important men in the wool field had taken part in a symposium on the future of wool in the 19705. He believed that all' considered that wool would continue to be consumed. In the apparel field they felt that price, within reason, was not the dominant factor in wool consumption—in fact it was suggested that a 15 per cent variation up or down would not influence the situation.

In the last few months even if raw wool used in apparel had been cheaper, Sir John Acland said he did not think that more of it would have been used.

More important Was the fact that wool was not as profitable to run oh the multi-

fibre processing machinery of spinners, weavers and knitters as some synthetics; and the answer was to provide a powerful incentive through promotion, which would alter the profitability picture. Some felt that present expenditure on promotion should be at least doubled.

Mr J. A. Thompson, managing director of Woolcombers Holdings (U.K.), Ltd, had proposed that the wool textile industry should indicate to the wool boards of Australia, South Africa and New Zealand its willingness to accept an additional levy on every bale of wool exported from the three countries.

With their own profitability under pressure, Sir John Acland said that at the Washington meeting processors had shown a much greater concern than previously for the problems of growers and the efforts being made in the grower countries. The customary suspicion

of any changes in marketing of raw wool was markedly absent Quite clearly the industry’s main concern was that the wool-producing industry should survive and continue to supply the wools they required. Referring to the decision of the International Wool Secretariat to promote woo) and synthetic blends under the new Woolblendmark programme, Sir John Acland said it had been received with enthusiasm. Mr N. 'Sykes, a British weaver, had described it as a big opportunity for the wool textile industry which should be given the utmost support by the industry and launched with all possible speed. . He saw blended fabrics as a major area of activity for weavers in the future and a means of building more wool usage back into the market. The only doubts about the programme had come from

the United States, where there were blends using less than 50 per cent of wool and where delegates saw advantage in not restricting the programme to wool-rich products.