Wool-handling charges rise

Press, 14 August 1980, Page 22

Wool-handling charges rise

PA Wellington Wool-handling charges have been raised an average 5.87 per cent. The Woolbrokers’ Association said the increase applied only to wool sold conventionally. .Charges for selling by the reduced sample method were not changed.

The association, noting that the rises had been approved by the Commerce Commission, said the last increase occurred in November, 1978. Since then woolbroking companies had absorbed four award and general wage rises totalling 31.9 per cent. The association said that the increase “is very

modest in- terms of the continuing steep escalation in costs in a labour-inten-sive industry.” It said that had it not been for the big increase in the volume of wool handled by brokers, and growers’ acceptance of sale by sample in the season just ended, charges could not have been held to the present degree. Charges for selling wool by the reduced sample method — estimated at 40 to 45 per cent of all wool now sold at auction — were unchanged at 6.127 c a kilogram. Handling charges on wool sold conventionally would rise from 6.127 c to 6.76 a kilogram.