N.Z. WOOL PRICE

Grey River Argus, 25 May 1942, Page 2

N.Z. WOOL PRICE

LARGE INCREASE Squatters Pleased P.A. CHRISTCHURCH, May 24 An increase of 15 per Cent, in the price of wool for next season was announced on Saturday by Mr. J. G. Barclay. This was most gratifying to the sheep owners, said Mr. H. D. Acland, President of the New Zealand Sheepowners’ Federation tonight., Sheep owners hau had to bear steadily increasing costs of production, he said, together with other producers for export since the beginning of the war. The price of wool had been fixed in 1,939 between the British Government and Australia. and Neiw Zealand. This increase would be most beneficial to those sheepowners in higher levels in both islands who made their living as graziers, and would be some compensation towards their increased cost of mustering and other wages for carting stores, etc. Those sheepowners had to depend .entirely on receipts from wool and surplus store stock. The increase would relieve them of some of their anxieties. The Minister of Marketing should be pleased with the joint efforts of the Governments of Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. “The wisdom of the clause' in the wool purchasing contract with Britain, giving proportional treatment to the three wool-growing Dominions, is apparent,” said Mr. Acland, “and the efforts on behalf of the New Zealand woolgrowers in this connection have been fully justified.' New Zealand wool, which is 97 per cent cross bred, is specially in demand for war purposes. The Russian winter has demonstrated the vast superiority of wool for clothing over synthetic fibres. The former price was approximately 121 d per lb., and . the new average price will be slightly more than 14d ijer lb.

WELLINGTON, May 23. An increase of 15 per cent, in the price to be paid by the United Kingdom for the 1942-43 wool clip of Australia, with corresponding adjustments in the prices paid to South Africa and New Zealand, was announced to-day by the Minister of Marketing (the Hon. J l . G. Barclay;, who said that he had received official advice from the United Kingdom High Commissioner (Sir Harry Batterbee) to that effect.

The increase, said Mr Barclay, had finally been determined on as a result of discussions which had recently taken place in London between Dr. H. V. Evatt, the Australian Minister, now in London, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The New Zealand Government had advised Britain that the costs of production and handling the wool had increased since the outbreak of war but no formal application for an increased price had been made at the time, the agreement having been reached between the two Governments, Any increase granted any other Dominion is to be subject to correspnodmg adjustment for Nev; Zealand wooi, the Minister added. The prompt action by the British Government would undoubtedly be fully appiec.ated by New Zealand producers.

Fertiliser Supplies

ASSURANCE BY MINISTER, p a. WELLINGTON, May 23. ‘‘Farmers are no doubt anxious to know,” said the Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Barclay), to-night, ‘‘what fertiliser will be available during the coming season. The whole matter is being given earnest consideration at. the present time by the National Council of Primary Produc-

tion, and the public will be fully informed as to the allocations to all crops before the- present rationing year ends on June 30. In the meantime, however I am pleased to give an assurance that essential crops will receive allowances of fertiliser. Farmers, therefore, can with confidence complete their preparations for the sowing of these crops.”