SCHEME FOR REQUISITION

Nelson Evening Mail, 16 November 1916, Page 5

SCHEME FOR REQUISITION

THE GOVBRNAIENT'S PROPOSALS.

As stated in- yesterdayfs issue, the .basis of calculation; for taking over the New Zealand] -wool clip •appears to be an advance of 45 per cent on 1913-14 (paices. In the year graces at several sales ranged as follows: Halfbred Super.-—December, lldi to ll£d; January lid to llfd. Tlalfbied Medium.—December, 9id to .lOfdi; January, 9fd to lOJd ■; February, 9£di to lid; March, Qd to lid. Crossbred Super.—December, IOAd t<j ll£d; January 10d» to 10#d; February, lOjfd tbi llj-d';' March. lOfd* to ll^d. Crossbred Medium.—December, 9d to 10£ d;' January 9d to 10|d; February 9£d to March 9£d-to lO^d. Crossbred "Coarse.—December 8d to 9£d; January, BAd to 9Ad ■■; February, 83d to 10d • March, 9di to 10£ d. Crossbred Inferior.—December, 7|d to Bid; Jaui-ary. 7gd to B£d; February, 8d to 9£d; March B£d to 9£d. PROPOSALS NOT ACCEPTED ON '••■'■ TUESDAY. When the conference met on Tuesday it dad not accept the Government pro•ptosals. The resolution actually passed, says the Dominion, was to 'the effect that if v.ool was to; be requisitioned, it should be .paid for at the present English, rul ng rates. A committee of 13 memibers was appointed' to conifer with the buyers, to get exact anformation as to -what the'•present "Bradford .prices are. These are always quoted' in trade terms, -with reference to "tops,'' and the task of the committee, -with the aid of the 'buyers, who are experts In the trade, -will ibe to reduce th e Bradford trade quotatioirs to .plain: figures, or to rates •pier lb. for greasy wool in; New Zealand. ~ ..■■■"■•

The Government proposed that eveTy grower should receive 45 per cent increase on -the .prices he actually received: for his clip" in 1913-14, as shown by account sales. This would have avoided -very much of the difficulty of classification., as iit could be assumed that •the individual (producer -would still -be igrowinjr tha satme classes of wool as he grew" three years ago. One objection raised to this (proposal was that it would (penalise the small produce!*, who might not have been: fortunate enough to get the real market value of his wool im •season. 1913-14. It may be noted that one of the conditions imposed by the Government dis that all contracts of sale ulready made shall >be cancelled. The •■buyers are 'reported! 'to be very anxious not to lose ; the -wool they iave already seeured. They have a financial interest in th's wool, for they are paid .at a ■commission rate. If the requisitioning scheme.goes through they will have to cease operations absolutely, iput it may ibe possible that the Government will engage some of them, as being the -best experts available for the classification <of "wool.

CCevFEREiNCIB UNFINISHED,

GROWERS HOLDING OUT FOR - LAST TEAR'S PRICES.

A Press Association! message sent out from Wellington last evening stated that < the wool and buyers' conference with the Minister of Agriculture regarding the Imperial Government's proposals for .the ipiuTchase of the season's 'clip is unfinished, and continues to-morrow. It is "understood that the growers are holding out for last year's prices as the basis of values.