WOOL CONTROL

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 137, 5 March 1940, Page 10

WOOL CONTROL

Reply To Criticism BRADFORD'S VIEWPOINT (By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright.) LONDON, March 3. Nu otlicial reply has yet been made to Sir Dulziel Kelly's outspoken attack vu tlie policy of the British wool control. The ••Economist/’ in commenting on the recent criticism of tile wool control from within Great Britain, says that the criticism is strong, perhaps, but it was not always justified. The Government had achieved its immediate objects, namely, the provision or adequate supplies ol raw materials for tue eiotun.g of the armed lorees and the clothing ol civilians. , Much bitterness in the home wool trade is due to the hardship caused by the wool controls policy tailing upon the raw material section. The "Yorkshire Post'' has taken s>n Oalziel Kelly to task. It declares tbal the home trade bluntly rejects ms suggestion that the wool control is being sub ministered from Bradford in Bradford business maiiilainiiiig that it .s impossible lor Australia to know how much wool Great Britain needs. Tile Bradford trade also claims taut the only thing which would justify t.ie return of higher prices to Australia and New Zealand would be their willingness to accept airy lower price which world conditions might dictate. The '• Yorkshire Post” adds that it is quite natural that Australia should desire to maintain her foreign clientele, but Australia may be assured that the allocations of wool to neutral countries "is iikeiy to be as generous as Great Britain s own needs will permit."

Sir Dalziel Kelly, chairman of the Australian Wool Board, in his criticism above referred to. declared that "the British Wool Control is adiministered from Bradford apparently in the interests of Bradford." He also stated that obviously it was Bradfords desire to sell manufactured and semi-manutac-tured goods to other countries rather than make available adequate supplies at. reasonahye prices. r "Wool is going into store instead ih being released for cousumiption, ami the end of the war will find an accumulation of stock® that, with competition from artificial lilbrcs. will cause complete collapse of prices and disaster to growers.