WOOL COMMANDEER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20073, 20 October 1939, Page 2

WOOL COMMANDEER

PRICE INADEQUATE OPINIONS IN NORTH The president of the Bay of Islands sub-provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union, Mr. J. M. Jones, who is a member of the executive of the Auckland provincial union, disagrees with the statement made by the president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union. Mr. W. W. Mulnolland, accepting the standard price to be paid for wool. “South Island men should not speak for North Island wool producers who have to combat climatic and other adversities,” said Mr. Jones. “In North Auckland especially sheep farmers are struggling with unmade country, improving their holdings while trying to make a living. Much of the northern country at the present stage of development supports not more than one sheep to the acre, yielding a clip of about 71b.” Mr. Jones said the commandeer during the last war had worked most satisfactorily. The urice paid was 52i per cent above the average realised for the three preceding years, and producers had received Is 6cl per lb. in bulk. Since then costs had risen considerably, and it was futile for tire Government to say they could be prevented from rising still further. For these reasons Mr. Jones considered that the price now to be paid producers was hopelessly inadequate.

“The price seems fair, but what the sheep farmer is interested in is not the gross price, but the price in relation to costs,” said Mr. Briscoe Moore, president of the Whangarei sub-pro-vincial executive of the Farmers' Union. Mr. Moore pointed out that the announcement did not mention the various grades and classes of wool, and without these details it was difficult to state what the position would be. Neither were the costs with which the sheep farmer would ■ -be loaded known.

“In view of the high levels of production costs, I doubt if the price will meet requirements,” said Mr. Moore. “Our costs are high, and if seems they will increase further as the result of the policy of the Government and war conditions. Without knowing the final details, I think the price offered is not such as to stimulate production.”