LARGER GRANT MADE FOR WOOL RESEARCH

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22667, 18 June 1948, Page 3

LARGER GRANT MADE FOR WOOL RESEARCH

fP.A.) WELLINGTON, June 18. To meet the growing demand for funds for essential research and publicity work it is the intention of the New Zealand Wool Board to increase the present levy from 2s to 2s 6d a bale. This statement was made at a meeting of the Dominion Meat and Wool Council of the Federated Farmers. The increase will not mean that the grower will have any increased deductions, from his account for sales.

It was stated that the Wool Disposal Commission would pay the board a larger sum in accordance with the quantity of wool sold. The levy came from growers through the contributory charge. The board’s present levy was 2s a bale, Is a fadge, 4d a bag, said Mr. A. Briscoe Moore, the growers’ member of the board, but the rate fixed at present had reached the maximum which could be struck under the wool levy regulations. Mounting expenses, largely due to an expansion of the work of the International Wool Secretariat, together with increased work being carried out in , New Zealand, had caused the board's decision that the increased levy for next year was necessary. It was the opinion of the board that the maximum rates should be increased to 5s a bale. 2s 6d a fadge, and 10s a bag, immediately. The amount proposed, however, was merely an increase on the basis of Gel a bale. During the war years the secretariat had spent approximately £50,000 sterling a year, said Mr. Moore. The expenditure had now increased to more than £300,000 sterling, of which the hoard’s share was about £G3,000 sterling, compared with the 1945 figure of £IO,OOO. The ~ growing expenditure by the secretariat was fully justified by the opening up of new markets and the added research programme.

“We will be willing to discuss any further increase with the producers’ organisations before putting it into effect,” he said.