WOOL INDUSTRY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11405, 5 January 1931, Page 2

WOOL INDUSTRY

CONFERENCE TO BE HELD AT BRADFORD.

YORKSHIRE USERS AND AUS TRALIAN AND N.Z. GROWERS.

UM.A. by EJec Tel. Copyright) (Received Jan. 4, 5.5. p.m.) LONDON. Jan. 3.

Arrangements are being made in Bradford for a conference in the summer between tlie Yorkshire wool users and Australian and New Zealand growers.

FUTURE OF WOOL

IMPOSSIBLE TO FORECAST.

A group of New South V ales woolgrowers suggested that the British Government should be asked to pur--chase the whole of the Australian clip and resell to foreign. countries what Great Britain did not require. Mr. James Kidd, chairman oi the Producers’ Association, declared that the proposal was impracticable and; useless. Mr. Kidd said that the root cause of all primary producers’ troubles was excessive cost of production, and until that problem was solved there could never he any permanent improvement in the condition of the rural industries. The British Government was to be asked to finance a wool pool, inviting South Africa to participate. Wool cost 9d. per lb, to produce, and was selling in Australia at about Bd. Mr. lyidd, in replying to the movers of the British-wool-purchase-: scheme, said;—“lt all comes down to the one thing—wo must concentrate on getting down costs. Continued outcry about the effects is only playing into the hands of those wild people who do not care whether the country heroine's insolvent or whether. it does not. The effects will.disappear as soon as we remove the cause.. God help us if we are driven.to bankruptcy. We are an honest people, and we must fight to avoid this at whatever cost. If we -do not we shall cast such a stain on our character and credit, that it. will take many many years to wipe out, if ever. So far as the workers will ho affected by reduction, surely it is better to acept a smaller wage than risk having to live on the ‘dole’ or be without any support if bankruptcv wore to come.

“Why resist a downcoming rate?” Was it not because of the- steady rise in wages that the cost of living rose to what it .is, now? Surely if wo reverse tho action the one fall will follow the other without delay. The vampire politician would have the worker believe otherwise, but the thoughtful and sensible working man will be quick to realise that he is onl throwing dust in his eyes. “Lastly, 1 would appeal to you graziers to come together on January 13, in large numbers, and speak out loudly, for the removal of the evil, which is the main cause of your troubles. Concentrate, I say again, on the cause; do not worry about trying to use an effect here or an feffce.t there—-this 19 quack doctor work — get to the root of the- evil and clear it out.”