OUTLET FOR WOOL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22201, 11 December 1946, Page 5

OUTLET FOR WOOL

GERMAN NEEDS REHABILITATION MOVE FINANCED BY BRITAIN (Special Correspondent.) (10 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 10. A proportion of the additional money which Britain is to spend on the rehabilitation of Germany will probably be allocated to enable Germany’s large wool-consuming resources to refunction. Details are not yet available. Germany’s position differs greatly front that of other European countries whose wool and textile mills have been assisted to reopen by the provision of raw material and other requirements. In these cases it has been possible to deal with established Governments, and through them with wool industries. It is expected that the plans to restore Germany's industry will be in the hands of the Control Commission, or some similar official body, and that for a start wool purchases will pass through official channels. Bradford believes that the first call on German production will be domestic requirements. Thereafter, steps will be taken to revive commercial exports, so that Germany may begin to pay her way. Revival of German Demand From the New Zealand woolgrowers’ viewpoint the all-important fact is that Germany, normally one of the largest wool-using countries in the world, is once more to become a wool consumer after more than seven years absence from world markets. This is an important step in the revival of the international wool trade. Some observers believe that the production of ersatz textile and raw materials in various synthetic forms is declining in more than one Continental country. One reason is that production in some cases calls for the substantial use of fuel which is not available in Europe in large quantities. This factor helps to place wool in an advantageous position, and there is an enormous potential demand in Germany alone. Arrangements are now being made for an early resumption of production at the Bremen wool combing factory, which is the largest in the world and which was not seriously damaged by the war. It recently has been used for military purposes, but is now released from requisitioning and will shortly be brought into production. It normally employs more than 4000 operatives for 1200 combs. Its prewar annual output exceeded 50,000,000 pounds of tops and noils.