WOOL INDUSTRY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 11 September 1924, Page 5

WOOL INDUSTRY

GROWERS AND SPINNERS MEET

NEW ZEALANDERS PRESENT

r .GO-QFERATION DESIRED. Ml CAiiiA rJUusti LONDON, Sept. 9. .Wool growers and spinners met for a heart to heart talk at Bradford at the invitation of the Chamber of Commerce. There wqs a representative attendance. of Australians and New Zealanders, including Sir Thomas Mackenzie.

In .welcoming the guests, Mr. Aykroyd said the spinners did not desire to dictate, but sought the co-operation of the growers in meeting traders’ requirements. Mr. Aykroyd opened a . discussion on the deterioration of some New Zealand wool, as the result of the Romney cross producing coarse hairs and lowering the value of finer fibres. Spinners were of that opinion Wensleydale were the best rams to meet New Zealand’s dual wool and meat needs, but several growers dissented. They claimed that better results were now accruing from Romneys. Coming to Australian defects, Mr. Aykroyd drew attention to the harmful results in recent years from the introduction of the Vermont strain The

conference considered marking sheep -iSith, tar etc. The producers welcomed 5 announcement {by • Sir Henry Whitehead that experiments were proceeding with a new solution which it was believed would stand weather without damaging the wool. A representative of hat manufacturers mentioned the inability to buy Australian or Cape wool owing to the presence of tar, which experts were often unable to detect until the final sixteen processes through a hat got had been reached. v * , Mr. Walter Andrews raised the question of wool Referring to merinos he said the Dominions produced wool of which they ought to be proud, but which was packed" abominably. He suggested the trade might help growers by returning them the bags, which should be systematised. Sir William Priestly complained that the wages of menders and burlers amounted to fifty-one per cent, of the wages, whereas thirty years ago. burling was not needed. He appealed to the producers to see that the wool was free of blemish. No man had any right to send wool to England unless he had every confidence in it. He explained that the present packing produced jute faults as well as burls in the wool, causing considerable loss. Mr. Andrews said he believed a business arrangement could be reached whereby specially prepared bags could be returned to the producers and used several times, resulting in a saving of £IOO,OOO. A note of alarm was sounded regarding a world shortage of wool, Mr. Harry Dawson urging an increase of stocks within the Empire, which presented great possibilities, notably South Africa and Australia. Sir Thomas MacKenzie, (New Zealand) urged the conservation of trade within our own people. He said Britain was again taking the bulk of Denmark’s butter,, although Denmark in war time divertedbutter to an enemy country. He emphasised amid cheers that New Zealand ..never gave Britain preference under duress, but always voluntarily. A > Mr. Dawson claimed that the thirtytwo days sight draft was virtually Equivalent to thirty per centum per annum, while ninety days drafts were equivalent to an export tax of 3f to 4J per centum in Australia and 2$ to 3J per cent, in the case of New Zealand. , Alluding to the anxiety regarding the proposed action of Mr. S. M. Bruce (Premier of Australia), he said a serious aspect was the banks intimating in connection with the issue of credits that it was optional for the banks to negotiate bills thereunder. Mr. Walter Andrews urged Australasia to adopt packs made of wool instead of fibre. The latter caused £500,000 damage annually, while the woollen pack -cost less. Buyers would he prepared to pay half the cost thereof . Mr. Dawson spoke of the need for arresting the shrinkage in wool production. which at present was a million hales below needs. Speakers emphasised the tragedy of the Argentine supplanting Australasia and Africa. Mr. Fairbairn, summing up, said the exchange was due to the shortage of banking facilities.