THE WOOL CLIP

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 146, 18 December 1933, Page 10

THE WOOL CLIP

IMPROVEMENT SCHEME

NO LEGISLATION THIS YEAR

No action is to be taken during the present session of Parliament to give legislative effect to the proposals recently put forward by North Island sheep farmers for an improvement of the wool clip. The Agricultural and Pastoral Committee of the House of Representatives, which heard evidence on the proposals, reported' today that the opinion on the question whether a wool improvement scheme should be a national or an island one was of a very divergent character. Tho Committee recommended that before any legislation was enacted to enforce any particular scheme of wool improvement a poll should be taken of those interested in the production of wool. The Committee recommended that its report should be referred to the Government for consideration. Mr. AY. J. Poison (Government, Stratford) said that if there was to be a wool improvement scheme, it should be a national scheme. At any rate, there was grave doubt whether a scheme was necessary and whether the sheep owners ne.eded it. Evidence had been given by flock masters that tho Romney type was improving. AVool research was valuable, but it should be handled by the Meat Board. The sheep farmers contended that the Meat Board's powers should be widened. He regretted that an attempt had been made to push the proposition on to the sheep farmers. He agreed with tho Committee's report. NECESSITY FOR ACTION. The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. G, W. Forbes) said that when he was in England in 1930, Bradford had told him that there had been a serious deterioration in Romney wool. He had expressed his desire to meet the requirements of the buyers, and when he returned to New Zealand he investigated the matter. Scientific workers at Massey College had expressed the view that improvements could be effected. Tlio larger sheep farmer was quite satisfied with the position, but the smaller farmer was in a different position. He bought the culls, and it had to be remembered that a great portion of the clip came from the smaller man. Mr. Forbes said he had pointed out to the industry that it would have to take action itself, but that the Government would assist.. Meetings had been held, and he had suggested that the proposal for legislation should be considered by the Agricultural and Pastoral Committee of the House. It was too late to take further action this session, but .no doubt the matter would be gone into thoroughly next session. IMPROVEMENT DESIRABLE. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. M. J. Savage) said he did not think anyone would oppose the principle involved. He was not a sheep farmer, but he was interested in improving the quality of the wool industry. He did not think that anything should be done unless on aoiational basis. He sincerely trusted that something would be done next session. Mr. H. S. S. Kyle (Chairman of tho Committee) said that the first consideration for improvement had been in the Romney sheep, which today had migrate ed to all parts of the Dominion. The matter was still before the Government. AA'ith legislation, the Meat Board could .assist in the improvement of wool. - The report was tabled.