WOOL CONGRESS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11829, 10 January 1933, Page 5

WOOL CONGRESS

COMMONWEALTH COMMITTEE'S REPORT. STATE MUST LIGHTEN BURDENS (U.P.A. by Elec. Tel. CoprrfghO (Rec. -Jan. 9. 10.5” pm.) SYDNEY. Jan. 9. An Australian-wide conference or wool growing interests and represent.

atives of the Federal and Slut

ernments opened io-dav to dmruss tecreport of the Commonwealth committee which, last year, investigated the wool industry. The Federal Minister of Commerce (Mr. F. H. Stewart) emphasising the imp.ortance of this industry to Australia, gave an assurance of the Commonwealth’s assistance and suggested that the State government shov’d lighten the land tax burden and the railway freights. He said thrt wool bad been the mainstay of Australia’? export credits and it wn* imperative that the volume-of production, despite the lowness of prices, should continue at the present high level. It was quite obvious what would happen if the growers were unable to maintain the existing high output. The most startling feature of the wool statistics was the fact that the annual accrual to Australia’s financial resources overseas had practically salved since 1925-26 despite thr premium enjoyed for the past two years through the exchange position. The heads of the pastoral organisations and leading woolgrowers addressed the conference on simile • Im-w. emphasising the need for special relief in rail and shippiug freights, harboui dues and brokerage charges river' which the conference divided iteo ? into two committees —one governr.-ru.. a] and one commercial antr then . journed till to-morrow.