NEW ZEALAND WOOL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16382, 9 November 1916, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND WOOL.

The suggestion that this season's New Zealand wool clip may be wholly purchased by the British Government should create no conflict of opinion such as has arisen- over the fixing of the local price of butter. Enormous quantities of wool are being used for army clothing, there is already a prohibition upon export except to British countries, and it would cause no surprise if arrangements were made for the purchase of New Zealand's exportable surplus of wool in much the same way as beef is now bought in the freezing works. The British clip has already been requisitioned. New Zealand growers may have more cause for congratulation than for complaint if satisfactory prices are arranged and shipping facilities assured for +he carJ riage of the whole of their clip. New Zealand crossbred wool has been found exceptionally suitable for army clothing, and as a consequence the Dominion growers have in the past two years received prices far in excess of pre-war rates. The export of wool for 1915 totalled 196,570,1141b and the value was estimated by the Government statistician at £10,387,875, or £2,079,994 above 1914 values. THp experience has been repeated during the current year. The export for the nine months ended September 30 last totalled 171,728,2991b, of the value of £11,385,889. During the same nine months of 1915 there was exported 168,179,3971b, the total value being £8,599,856. The return for this year is, therefore, already £2,786,033 greater than for the sane period of 1915, and of this sum more than two and a-half millions is due to increased prices. In the circumstances the Dominion and its woolgrowers may look forward cheerfully to the prospect of a requisition of this season's clip.