WOOL COMMANDEER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23974, 24 November 1939, Page 8

WOOL COMMANDEER

THE SCHEDULE OF PRICES ANNOUNCEMENT EXPECTED TO-DAY PREPARATION OF FLEECES (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, Nov. 23. A statement that the price schedule for New Zealand wools would probably be completed to-morrow was made by the chairman of the Wool Council (Mr H. M. Christie) in a broadcast address to-night. He said that the Woolbuyers' Association, which was carrying out the appraisal of wool, had done everything possible to prepare the necessary schedules to deal with types and ' prices. The price schedule could not be completed until the actual average net rate to be paid to the grower had been fixed. The association had been working continuously on the preparation of this schedule since November 4. "In the meantime, the British Government has cabled urging the immediate shipment of wool, and to comply with this request the appraisement has had to be made of wool in Auckland on the type schedule only," said Mr Christie. "This means that the grower at the moment does not know the exact price he will receive, but in effect he will lose nothing, as the rate is to be uniform for similar quantities of wool throughout tht Dominion, and the price will be known almost immediately. While the net overall price to the grower will be 12.18875 d, New Zealand currency, the schedule of prices must be based on the average over a period of years and not on one particular year. The question of quality, which fluctuates according to seasonal conditions, must also be taken into consideration when comparing the prices received. "The British requirements are considerably different from those during the 1916-1919 commandeer, which besan in the middle of the wool season," Mr Christie said. "Many woolgrowers are in doubt concerning what is expected of them in preparing their clips for sale. Clips must be properly skirted. The reason for this is to enable the controller in the United KinPdom to avoid the necessity for additional handling of the wool. It is intended to distribute the wool direct to the manufacturers on the New Zealnad classification. Thus it will be realised how essential it is to have the wool properly prepared for appraisal. Bv skirting is meant the complete removal of belly wool and all fribbv pieces from the fleece. There should be no doubt in the minds of growers as to what is required for skirting and classification on the farm. The normal practice on most farms should be followed with the exception of those who in the past have sent their clip forward without removing belly wool and unskirted. I would recommend that in cases where this cannot be done on the farm the broker should be instructed to prepare the clin."