Wool Prices.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XI, Issue 131, 26 May 1921, Page 5

Wool Prices.

WELLINGTON SALES OPEN, GOOD ATTENDANCE OF BUYERS. GOOD CLEARANCE ABOVE B.A.W.R.A. RESERVE. (Special to “Tribune.”) Wellington, May 26. The wool sales opened in the Town Hall this morning. Thirty-six buyers were present representing all countries barring Germany. There were a tew orders from Japan. Messrs Dalgety and Co., Ltd. had a good clearance, eighty per cent of their catalogue being sold at prices Jd to Id above B.A.W.R.A. reserve, but down Id to l|d compared to last sale. The selection, however, was not as good. The reason for the good clearance is that growers met the market in fixing their reserves. Bidding was good for good quality stuff suitable for America. Very little was passed in. Rough stuff was very cheap, from Id up. DISPOSAL OF CLIPS. ALTERNATIVE TO MR. MASSEY S SCHEME. Masterton, May 24. Mr. George Witters. representing the Gisborne branch of the fanners Union, addressed the Provincial Conference of the union here to-day on the wool problem. He advocated selling the new season’s wool to the imperial Government at half commandeer rates. With all deference to Mr. Massey, he thought the Prime Minister had macle no better an alignments with the banks than they could have made themselves. He was sorry to criticise Mr. Massey, because he was a strong supporter of him. Mr. Massey was going Home with the fixed intention of getting an eight million profit on wool for the New Zealand farmer. Mr. Massey had no alternative to propose to the authorities, and he might be asked to place the speaker’s scheme before them. His scheme was to pool two or even three clips, and receive mii average price until the pooled wool was disposed of by the Imperial authorities. They would receive a bonus on their wool every year. He would not favour disposing ot the wool through B.A.W.R.A. They ought to have a New Zealand committee which might las well have the commission as the. Australian concern. The chairman said they were indebted to Mr. Witters for placing before them a scheme which glittered whichever way one viewed it, but they had to remember that the Imperial Government was sickened of anything resembling a commandeer. It was hopeless to expect that they would consider for a moment commandeering New r Zealand wool. The anole thing was political, and the Government which took up Mr. Witters’ proposal would commit political suicide. If restitution were made of visible and invisible stocks, then the wool surplus would be absorbed immediately. 1 hey were informed that the stores of Great' Britain were bare of wool. Mr. W. B. Matheson (Eketahuna) said that to his mind the proposal was not a commandeer, but a business proposition. Mr. McLean (Wainui-o-mata) said that Mr. Witters’ scheme was the only alternative that had been oil cred to the scheme Mr. Massey was engaged on. They had to thank Mr. Witters for the thought and labour he had put into the matter. On the motion of Mr. A. Buchanan, senior, it was resolved to refer the proposal to the Dominion executive ror consideration, Mr. Witters to attend to explain his scheme.