WOOL PROPAGANDA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22822, 5 March 1936, Page 10

WOOL PROPAGANDA

EXTENSION OF ITS USES AN INTER-DOMINION FUND LORD BARNBY OUTLINES DETAILS (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, March 4. After visiting other wool centres, Lord Barnby to-day met representatives of the Sheepowners’ Federation and the New Zealand Farmers’ Union and discussed the possibility of making some arrangement to promote wool research and undertake propaganda for the increased use of wool overseas.', Lord Barnby reported that the Australian Federal Graziers’ Council had passed a resolution supporting the raising of a fund by a levy on the wool exported, the amount recommended not. to exceed Is a bale. A committee was foimed to prepare recommendations for the necessary legislation. It was, however, recognised that action must be collective by all the wool-growing dominions simultaneously, and therefore action in Australia must be dependent on New Zealand’s taking action also. In the case of South Africa the necessary legislation had already been passed establishing a levy up to Is a bale, and a fund was already in hand awaiting steps by the other dominions. He thought it might be taken for granted that the United Kingdom wool textile industry would be prepared to bear its equitable proportion of the contribution to the collective fund which would be established.

Lord Barnby emphasised the volume of expenditure being made for publicity purposes by synthetic fibre, and linen manufacturers and indicated the need for defensive publicity against this. There was also the need for offensive publicity to expand the use of wool in volume and in new fields. On the score of possible objections to further burdens on the wool-growers, be pointed out that an amount of 6d a bale even was very little on the poundage produced, and by comparison with the £15,000,000 loss that the Australian and New Zealand wool-growers had to accept for their clip last year as compared with the 1933-34 clip it would surely be justified if it was going to save some of that Lord Barnby stressed the advisability of New Zealand’s taking action promptly along the lines of the other dominions and also stressed the advisability of setting up a body which would be truly representative of the wool-growing industry and free from any objection that it was subject to any political control.