CROSSBRED WOOL

Gisborne Times, Volume LII, Issue 5464, 27 April 1920, Page 2

CROSSBRED WOOL

(To the Editor.) Sir,—Tlio question lias been raised “Are we growing to much crossbred wool?” In answer to that I unliesiitatingly say “no.” We have only to go back a few years and it will be seen that our production has decreased very considerably, according to the Year Book for 1919. Weight Produced lbs. 1913 202,117,078 1911 203,346,856 1910. 210,036,137 1916 208,891,483 1917 169,634,079 1918 117,543,247 • It will he seen from the above figures that for the last two years we have gone back very considerably in the weight of wool produced. The number of sheep in New Zealand according to the census 1918, was 25,828,004. Out of this number there were Merino 892,537. Southdown 29,345, C'orricdale 404,909, half-bred • 1,098,645, a total of 2,425, 436. That ! would 1 leave a total of 23,403,118 cross-bred sbeep, producing wool be- , low 46 grade. It only wants a change m the fashion to put our crossbred wool on a better footing to enhance the price more nearly to that of merino. I can remember thy time some i'ew years ago when crossbred wool was fetching a higher price than merino. We have also got this to take into account—that Germany and Austria and other Continental countries are not yet in a position to buy our wools. - When they are in a position to compete at the London sales we may expect to see an increased demand for our coarse wools and also an increase in price. I am of the opinion that growers of crossbred wool have nothing to fear m the future as to the demand! and as to obtaining good prices for tho class of wool we produce in this district—l am, Yours etc., WOOL GBO WEB, I j j |