WOOL AND PUBLICITY

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 114, 10 April 1930, Page 2

WOOL AND PUBLICITY

AUSTRALIAN PROPOSALS. TAKING DEFINITE SHAPE.’ Woolgrowers’ organisations in Australia are miking , some progress in regard to the adoption of a “use more wool” campaign. Discussing the depressed condition of the industry in his report to the annual meeting of the Graziers’ Association of Southern Riverina, the president (Mr J. H. Patterson, jun.) said he was convinced that the factors militating against the wool market at present were financial depression throughout the world, and the high cost of woollen materials in light, attractive styles‘required -by the public. Unfortunately, owing to the cost of production, exceeding the prices received for wool, too much attention was being given by some graziers to projects which had as their object a substantial increase in the price of the raw material. No project which had for its object the creation of a fictitious price for wool would be successful, and so far no industry had been able to overcome the natural law of supply and demand. The unfortunate position was that just at the very time when the mass of the people had to economise strictly it was impossible to produce the finished woollen materials at a price which would compete with that of artificial substitutes. “It is of no use running down the substitutes,Mr Patterson added, “the only thing to go is to put our own house in order, and do everything possible to reduce the cost of production, not only of the raw material, but also the costs of the manufactured article.” \ Dealing with the question of wool publicity, Mr Patterson said: —“The British Research Association has reiterated the view that by scientific research it will •be possible to turn cut woollen fabrics of such a nature as will appeal to women and meet, the present demands of fashion; that the results of such'scientific investigations should be advertised; and that by this means the use of and demand for wool will be materially increased. The association points out also that the woollen interests in England have agreed to subscribe annually the sum of £25,000 towards such research, and appeals to Australian growers to contribute a similar amount. Correspondence from Germany and the United States also supports the view that research and advertising the results thereof should go hand in hand and advices from South Africa indicate that funds are being raised-in that country for research and advertising. Mr Edmund Jowett, president of the Woolgrowers’ League, stated the other day that the forthcoming exhibition in Sydney of goods made from wool and the conference on the “Use More Wool” movement was receiving enthusiastic support from important organisations and from leading men and women. “Among all the palliatives and sedatives that are being offered almost every, day,” said Mr Jowett, “woolgrowers stand solvlly for strong, effective measures to increase throughout the world the consumption of goods made from wool. In New South Wales not only are most of the woolgrowers in favour of the movement, but many of the leading citizens are standing with them. Some people seemed to be possessed of the extraordinary view that there was something about wool and woollen manufactures that made’ it. inadvisable to advertise them until something had been done by somebody to make wool more suitable for human requirements. This was a most amazing view, and one that was destitute of any justification. Everything went to show that wool was the best textile material ever given to man. On the question whether wool was fine and soft enough to wear in singlets next the sk'n, Dionysius of Alexandria wrote that British wool was well known in Romo, and that it was so fine as to be comparable to a spider’s web. That was 2000 years ago. The merino wool of Tasmania and Australia to-day was as fine and soft to the skin as the human ’ race could desire. The manufacture of wool throughout the world had now reached the.highest standard ever known. Of course, there was the desire for further improvement, and there must always be room for scientific research at both the growing and the manufacturing ends. No woolgrower, however, need have the slightest hesitation in recommending his wool to the consumers of the world on the ground that there was anything, wrong with wool or the manufacture of it. That being so, why not advertise? ’ PROPOSED LEVY ON SHEEP. A project outlined by Mr S. L. Officer, secretary of the Federal Graziers Council, for the establishment of a fund of £60,000, to be raised by a levy of'ls a 100 sheep owned by graziers for research into the cost of manufacturing finished woollen articles and for the establishment of a factory in China, appears to hare aroused considerable interest among woolmen in Sydney, several of whom expressed approbation of the plan. Mr Officer has explained, that the machinery for collecting the Is a 100 sheep already existed, and, if the plan were adopted, would be used. It was suggest-, ed that in each State representatives of the Australian Woolgrowers’ Council be a sub-committee, and that m each country town where there existed a branch of any of the organisations, represented on the Australian Wool-, growers’ Council a committee of such members be formed. In Victoria and the Southern Riverina there was in almost every country town either a pastoral and agricultural society, a branch of the Country Party : or of the Graziers’ Association, and m most of the larger towns branches of all three existed. The duties of tli© sub-committees would be to arrange for public meetings of graziers in all possible country centres to place before graziers the vital and urgent necessity of subscribing to the fund. The sub-committees would . receive all moneys collected and remit them to the secretary of the Australian Woolgrowers’ Council. The duty of the district committee would _be to canvass all graziers in their respective districts. The Australian Woolgrowers’ Council would control all moneys collected, and the secretary would be the general secretary of the scheme. It was felt that such a method of collection would bo inexpensive and effective.