Australian Discusses U.S. Wool Problems

Northern Advocate, 19 June 1937, Page 5

Australian Discusses U.S. Wool Problems

(Received 2 p.m.) NEW YORK, June 18

Mr Stanley Hawker, an Australian pastoralist, interviewed by the Australian Associated Press, stated that while personally he had received many kindnesses here, he could understand that the anti-American feeling in Australian trade circles was caused through American treatment of Australian wool imports.The United. States, despite increased consumer demand, due to returning prosperity and inability to meet requirements without ♦ ever increasing imports, maintained a tariff higher than the average price of the raw commodity in Australia.

America must see the fatal economic error, of this, since it was stifling wool consumption. “That is even more important than the question of whether the United States will maintain the present rate of imports of Australian wool, or if the American wool growers can reap a temporary advantage by the shortage,” he added.

“It is vital that the world should continue to be wool-conscious. Anything increasing prices beyond a certain level will inevitably drive the consumer to substitutes, whichj would cause serious disadvantages 'to all wool growers. Mr Hawker, therefore, advocated, if necessary, the lifting of the embargo on merino sheep to America, in order to improve the quality of American wool and maintain American consumption of fine wools. “Australia will have nothing to fear from that,” he said, “since it does not involve even a temporary loss by Australian producers because it ■ would take a cosiderable time for America to increase production, and such increase will only keep pace with the increased demand, and perhaps not even that. “Australia’s exports to the United States will certainly not diminish, and perhaps might even increase, due to America’s increased wool-conscious-ness. American woolgrowers, moreover, should see the wisdom of prevention of the consumption of substitutes and not oppose tariff reductions which will make available Australian wool to America at prices the consumer is able to pay.”