WOOL RESEARCH.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 190, 13 July 1936, Page 12

WOOL RESEARCH.

FARMERS SUPPORT LEVY. WELLINGTON, July 11. Support for a proposal that a levy of sixpence a bale be imposed for the assistance of research work and the advertising of wool in New Zealand and abroad, the funds to be administered by a committee of the industry, was accorded by delegates at the Dominion conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union in Wellington yesterday. Moving a Hawke’s Bay remit to that effect, Mr C. R. Edgecombe said they knew the wool industry had suffered very severely lor a number of years, and lie felt that anything they could do to build it up should appeal to them all. Research work, he took it, should apply not only to manufacturing, but also to the staple article from the farms. Fie felt it to bo their duty to have some way of assisting tlie farmer himself to grow as good a type of wool as his conditions and his country would allow.

Mr T. Currie (Wanganui), seconding the remit, said that in the last two years or so there had been conferences going on between the authorities of Australia, South Africa and New Zealand with a view to raising funds. Ho was pleased to see that under the remit the control was to be held by the industry. Part of the funds would bo used to counteract the propaganda put out on behalf of the substitutes.

“Here is something that lias been agreed upon by the farmers of the Empire,” said Mr W. J. Poison, M.P. (Stratford). The old Bill was one to hand over to tlie Government the levy on the wool. Tlie proposal now was for control by the fanners themselves. They would have the control of their own funds here in New Zealand, and New Zealand would appoint its own representatives to the Imperial council. The whole thing was a wonderful forward move. New Zealand was the last country to agree, and until New Zealand came into it the thing could not function. “We want to come into lino and get the tiling moving/’ ho said.

Mr FI; Morrison (Wnirarapa) said he was surprised at any wool-growers even suggesting that this was not necessary. Wool was very low in price to-day and they know that in time of armament races wool usually rose. Tlie artificial stuff was getting in. Flo liad not the official figures, but they were alarming. They knew that research in England wanted more money and that they could do considerably more research if they were supplied with the funds.