THE BRADFORD POSITION

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 105, 31 October 1933, Page 12

THE BRADFORD POSITION

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received October 31, 11 a.m.) LONDON, October 30. Bradford tops makers report more business and the tendency of the market is against buyers. MARKETING WOOL. Experiences of the past few years have produced a nervous outlook among many growers regarding the sale of their wool, remarks the "Sydney Morning Herald." Some sheepowners sold their clips before the selling season opened at pence below market value. "Up Against It," under the correspondence headed "Puzzled Woolgrowers," asked for general advice as to whether he should sell privately or consign to the Sydney, \Newcastle, or London markets. His uncertainty produced the humorous suggestion that, in order to satisfy the whole of his feelings, he should split his clip into four sections, selling one portion in the country and one portion in each of the centres mentioned. Between the four methods he would "strike" an average figure which might temporarily give him peace of mind, though eventually might result in regret if values rise in the New Year. If the conviction is held that the wool market -will be lower in the New Year, would it not be wise to sell the sheep on a property at current values and replace them in the autumn at lower cost? If the wool market were to fall, sheep prices would follow it. It may be, however,, he who sells wool last will sell best, remarks the "Herald." BUTTER iELOW 90/Joseph Nathan and Co., Ltd., have received from their principals, Trengrouse and Nathan, Ltd., London, the following cabled advice, dated October 30:—"New Zealand butter: Finest, 89s per cwt; first, 86s per cwt. Weak. New Zealand cheese: White, 46s per cwt; coloured, 45s per cwt. Slow." . LOCAL CONSUMER PAYS BUTTER EXPORT QUOTA How the Australian butter consumer is taxed in order that Australian dairy farmers may Bell cheaply overseas has been shown by the operation of the Paterson Plan whereby "choicest" Australian butter is sold in Sydney at 130s lOd per cwt (on October 19) as compared with 95s to 09s in London (on October 20). But Australian butter consumed in its country of origin may yet cost the people of New South Wales even more than at present. The 'Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Main), speaking at the opening of a new butter factory at Goulburn, on the problem of overseas distribution, said: "If we are producing 30 per cent, more than we can consume, it is only right that those with ready access to the Home market should bear at least a portion of the lower prices obtained overseas," he said. "By a gentleman's agreement between the States and interests in the past we have been able to arrive at something that has been approximately fair, but the time has come when further action is necessary. Following the conference between Ministers of Agriculture in Sydney, Bills will now be introduced into the various State Houses and the Federal Parliament so that an export quota shall be struck. That means that every producer of butter —and by that we mean every factory—will have to export a fair share of the surplus over and above the local consumption. A Bill has been drafted in this State, while Queensland and Victoria have the matter under way. "It now remains for the Federal Parliament to do its share, that is to pass a measure that will control the export part of our trade, that will give fair play to every butter producer. "It may mean that consumers will have to pay a little more than world parity, but, as every other commodity but wool and wheat is governed by its Australian price, I do not think anybody will complain." MAIZE POOLING. Atherton Tableland district of Queensland specialises in maize ( growing. The "Tableland Examiner" in 1 a maize supplement reports that completion of new maize eilos at Atherton, add to existing grain storage capacity nearly 9000 tons, making a total storage capacity of 13,500 tons. "The grain, which has returned to growers over £1,075,000 since the inception of the Pool nine years ago, in what is probably the most prolific maize-producing territory in the world, with the possible exception of Victoria, now promises to those who produce it a better average return than at any time in the past. Never again will 3000 tons of maize be sacrificed at £1 7s 6d a ton to growers as was the case two years ago, unless the acreage under crop should increase too far beyond storage capacity. "The Atherton Tableland, which produces over 50 per cent, more maize to the acre than Queensland as a whole, or Australia as a whole, and 30 per cent, more than U.S.A. as a whole, after less than a decade's experience with the pooling system, enters into co-operation on a sounder basis and looks to the future with the utmost confidence. "The strength of the Maize Pool lies in the fact that it has stood on its own feet withou levies, bounties, and the like, which are common to most other pooled commodities. Continuance on these lines ensures greater achievement in the future." Atherton Tableland boasts an average net return to growers over, a nine-year period of almost £7 per ton, which would have been considerably higher had it not been for the lack of storage in the 1931-32 season and the comparatively high administrative costs in the early stages of the Pool. Complaints of inferiority in the quality of the paper on which the new Australian 10s bank notes are printed are to be inVPStißated. Business people have complained that the new notes are so easily torn that they are frequently received in fragments, and the pieces have to he pinned together and returned to the Commonwealth Bank for renewal. "The trade cycle for mysterious reasons of its own started on the up-grade in the middle of 1932, and I do not believe that the feather-headedness of the United States Government, nor the swell-headedness of the German Government, or the flat-head-edness of the British Government, can stop it."—Mr. Dennis Robertson, at Liberal Summer School, Cambridge.