WOOL CONFERENCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 17 July 1925, Page 5

WOOL CONFERENCE

PROCEEDINGS AT BRADFORD THE NEW HACK (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.? (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association., LONDON, July 15 Mr Akroyd presided at the wool conference at Bradford. Iho first, subject for discussion was fibres in wool and the new pack. Mr Akroyd detailed negotiations of the past year’s experiment, which led to the production of a- pack made of wool, which when treated shrunk, closing the pores of the. canvas against dust. Stout yarn also had been made for sewing, thus jute had been entirely eliminated from the pack, while special binding would still enable the uw; rtf metal clips if desired. The cost, would be borne by wool users through a, payment of a halfpenny a. pound by the manufacturers to the producers using the new pack under a guarantee for five years. The pack itself would cost. 222 d at the present juice of wool. leaving a- small profit to the producers. 1 he. likelihood was that the price of the pack would soon fall, probably to 180 pence. Fifty packs bad been sent to the Government of Australia and 25 each to New Zealand and South African Governments) for experiment and report. Mr Carter Sinclair (New South Wales) supported the adontion of the new pack. LONDON, July 15

At the Bradford conference Maurice du Brulle said that the French and Belgian wool trade wa.s prepared to join Yorkshire in the extra payment. Mr Akroyd said lie thought America and Germany would follow Yorkshires lead.

Two German delegates said that the German attitude would not. be known for two or three months. Mr Franklin suggested that the price of the pack should be fixed on a .sliding scale according to the price of wool. Otherwise, Bradford would have a monopoly. Mr Akroyd : “We have fixed the price which we believe is in your favour.” At the wool conference at Bradford, Mr Sinclair advocated regulation of offerings with Bradford industry requirements. He considered no scheme sound which did not give the small grower immediate cash payment. Winding up the chairman asked whether the conferences ought fo he continued, and delegates chorused “ves.’ LONDON, July 16. The delegates, to the wool conference were entertained at a dinner by the Bradford Chamber of Commerce. Mr Campbell (a New Zealander) suggested that fear and suspicion might still attach to Bradford. The latter should make a gift of the new wool pack free from the complicated conditions jiroposed. Mr (!. Fairbairn, Agent-General for Victoria, deprecated the suggestion that, feeling existed against the new pack in the trade. Statements in this regard were greatly exaggerated. Mr Nichaelian (South Africa) said that South African farmers were conservative. Unless the new pack was produced at the same price as the jute pa-k it would be difficult to induce farmers to adopt it. but he thought there would be no difficulty in obtaining tthe adoption of the present scheme. The conference next discussed the shortage of fine wools. Mr Dawson, who led the debate, said that this year’s Australian wool had sadly depreciated. It was difficult, to find any requisite quality. That, was the reason for the strong demand for South African wool by both Bradford and Continent. The South African clip was the best yet exported and was of magnificent quality. Australian delegates explained the difficulties in producing fine wools, and directed attention to the decrease in prices.

The next subject was the grey hairs in wool. It was urged that in changing flocks farhiers should make the first consideration that there be no grey hairs in the animals, which gravely damaged the finer products. The conference discussed Sir John Higgins’s scheme of control, which met with considerable opposition owing toinvolving Government interference.