Woolgrowers at Bradford

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIV, Issue 235, 11 September 1924, Page 5

Woolgrowers at Bradford

IMPORTANT MATTERS DISCUSSED. ALARM AT WORLD SHORTAGE. London, Sept. 10. At the heart-to-heart iconference 6* wcolgrowers and spinners at Bradford, Mr Harry Dawson claimed that a 32 days sight draft was virtually equivalent to 30 per centum per annum, while 90 day drafts were equivalent to an export tax of 3 5-8 to 4 1-8 per centum on Australia and 2J to 3J in the case oi New Zealand. Alluding to anxiety concerning Mr Bruce’s proposed action, he said the serious aspect was the banks’ intimation in connection with I the issue of credits, that was it it was optional for banks to negotiate bills thereunder. Mr Waller Andrews urged Australia to adopt packs made of wool instead of fibre. The latter caused £500,000 damage annually. A woollen pack would cost less, because the buyer would be prepared to pay half the cost thereof. Mr Dawson spoke of the need of arresting the shrinkage in wool production, which was at present 1,000,000 bales below the needs.

Mr Andrews, referring to merinos, said the dominions produced wool! of which they ought to be proud, but which was packed abominably. He suggested that the trade might help the growers by returning them the! bags, which should be' systematised. Bir Williams Priestly complained that wages;of menders and burlers amounted to 51 per cent of the wages, whereas 30 years ago burling was not needed. He appealed to producers to see that their wool was free from uiemisn. No man had any right to send wool to England unless he had every confidence therein. 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 bo reached whereby specially prepared Lags could be returned to the producer and used several times, resulting in a saving of £lOO,OOO. A note of alarm was sounded regarding the world shortage of wool, Mr Dawson urging an increase of stocks within the Empire, which presented great possibilities, notably South Africa and Westralia. Sir Thomas Mackenzie (New Zealand) urged the conservation ?f trade within our own people. He said Britain was again taking thi bulk of Denmark’s butter, although Denmark, in war time, diverted butter to the enemy country. He emphasised, amid cheers, that New Zealand never gave Britain preference under duress, always voluntarily. —(A. and N.Z.) AVOIDABLE BLEMISHES. (Received ].]. 12.5 p.m.) London, Sept. 10. The delegates to the wool conference at Bradford spent the morning inspecting the Saltaire mills. Considerable time was spent in the burling department discussing the methods of eliminating blemishes, which the trade contends should, and could be practically avoided by the growers. Much interest was also shown in the proposed wool pack, with which the trade hopes to replace the jute pack. It is pointed out that jute fibre unavoidably becomes mixed with the wool and cannot be detected until the finished cloth appears, requiring, a large staff of burlers to remove the blemishes, as jute is not affected by wool dye. It is hoped this difficulty will be avoided by the use of improved wool packs. Subsequently the delegates were entertained at luncheon at the Town Hall by the Lord Mayor. Replying to the toast of the guests, Mr. Colebatch, of West Australia, referring to Mr. Dawson’s speech of last evening, said he hoped that England would be wary about adopting a policy of throwing obstacles in the way of loans for development of the dominions, thereby retarding absorption overseas of Britain’s surplus population.—(Reuter.) NEW BRANDING MATERIAL.

After the luncheon the woolgrowers’ conference resumed to enable -the ventilation of some points which are regarded as insufficiently discussed. Sir W. H. Aykroyd (president) stated that a verbatim report of the conference would be issued to the pastoralists of the dominions. Mr. Tulloch, secretary of the Bradford Chamber of Commerce, said that experiments with new branding had hitherto proved satisfactory in the Highlands and in the laboratory, but a further year’s experiment was being made by one of the members of the Bradford committee on his own sheep. Mr. Michaellian (South Africa) asked about the suitability of tattoo oil used in South Africa. Sir W. H. Aykroyd replied that this branding had not boon examined*, and one his request Mr. Michaellian promised to send a number of fleeces mairked with tattoo oil to Bradford for chemical treafment. Speaking subsequently, Sir W. H. Aykroyd stated that French societies were preparing a pack made from paper. The conference then terminated.— (A. and N.Z.) *