WOOL PROBLEMS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 33, 2 November 1934, Page 13

WOOL PROBLEMS

Comment by Visiting Expert

FARMS AND FACTORIES “To say that the South Island of New Zealand is one of the finest sheep lands in the world is statlug common knowledge, but one has to see the island to realise the value of the experience,” said Dr. T. Oliver, principal emeritus of the Scottish Woollen Technical College of Galashiels, in an interview with “The Dominion” yesterday. During October Dr. Oliver travelled through tho South Island to Invercargill inspecting developments in wool-growing and manufacturing. “There seems to have been undue speculation in land; on the average rent is altogether too dear for the farmer to have a fair chance of getting reward for his labour,” he com mented. “The high price of labour relative to the farmer’s product has caused a considerable reduction fn service, and the' land is not nearly so well cultivated as formerly. “In Scotland much care is taken at lambing time, and throughout the life of the sheep similar care is displayed; ip New Zealand there is little respect for the life of the lamb, possibly with the idea that when it is worth only 10/ to 20/- at the most it is not really of much account in the annual balance,” Dr. Oliver continued. “Nondescript Flocks.” “In spite of New Zealand having some of the finest stud flocks tn the world, there are too many farmers oblivious to the importance of obtaining some measure of uniformity of fleece. I was privileged to see the wonderful stud of Uorriedales at Mr. Griggs’s farm at Longbeach, Ashburton, and the stud of Border Leicesters of Mr. Little at Corriedale, Otago; also I visited Mr. McLauchlan’s stud of Southdowns, Messrs. Thomson s stud of Romneys, Mr. Goulter’s merino stud, and Mr. Monro’s stud, also of merinos, in the Blenheim district, with all of which I was greatly impressed, especially with the uniformity of the wool throughout the fleece. But it is a long cry from such high standards to those of many nondescript flocks all through the island.

"Many consignments of halfibred wool vary from 64’s quality to 48’s, even in one lot. This entails the manufacturer buying a great deal of wool he may not require, and he will be compelled to sell odd lots at low prices. To cover himself against such a contingency a lower price Is given for the wool in bulk than otherwise would be the case. The strong fibre in the Romney wool has for a few years caused much concern, and it is regrettable to note that similar divergence from standard is now shown in fleeces sent to the South Island shows. So little attention do many of the judges give to the defect that prizes are sometimes given to sheep that have the undesirable feature.

/‘lt is of much greater importance to produce sheep with a uniform lleece than to make efforts to produce any special quality. An average of say 50/58’s may be in considerable demand, but rather than have sheep with great divergence In quality in the same fleece It would be better to aim at getting a more uniform although coarser fibre, such as 52/54’s quality. Manufacturers’ Handicaps. "As to wool manufacture, there are only twelve mills in New Zealand, eight of which are in the South Island, but no generalisations of great value can be made as they ate all forced to attempt making too many kinds of cloths, and economy of manufacture is therefore to some extent lost. They have the help of a percentage tariff, which is not assisting them very much, due to the influences of very cheap foreign cloths and the fact that most New Zealanders do not know a good cloth. That stricture need not be confined merely to the man in the street, for some merchants and many retailers seem also to be liable to that imputation in a smaller degree.

“New Zealand cloth is for the most part made of pure wool, while most of the imported imitations tiro made up of blends of waste and cotton, so the competition is unfair. The tariff could be greatly Improved by making a specific charge per pound of material; that would prevent the very cheap cloths from getting in and would not be a great embargo on tbe dear cloths not made in New Zealand. I might add that the New Zealand mills I have seen are very well equipped; certainly they are (piite equal to the best mills of Scotland.” ' Dr. Oliver intends making a tour of Inspection through the North Island shortly, and will sail from Auckland on November 22.