WOOL AND WOOLLEN TRADE

Otago Witness, Issue 3467, 24 August 1920, Page 47

WOOL AND WOOLLEN TRADE

MEETING' IN WELLINGTON

'ti?£3 United Pkess Association.} WELLINGTON, August 19. At "a large meeting of wool-growers, together with representatives of wool-brokers and freezing companies, held on Wednesday at the Dominion Farmers' Institute Sir James Wilson (president of the Board of Agriculture) was in the chair. The meeting was called by the Board of Agriculture at the instance of the Prime Minister in order to consider important information regarding the wool position which had been received by the Government. The Prime Mirister and the Minister of Agriculture attended the meting, and Mr Massey gave in full the information received from the Imperial Government regarding stocks of wool on hand both in Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand and the comments of the Home authorities on the position. This showed that the unsold stock of New Zealand wools held in England m July on British Government account was 283,000 bales, while the total unsold stocks of Australian and New Zealand wools amounted to 2,500,000 bales, the market conditions at the time being unsatisfactory. Information was also given as to shipments of wool arranged for from New Zealand, this showing that only comparatively small quantities will be shipped during the next four months, and that in consequence a considerable quantity* of Government owned wool (about 412,000 bales) will still remain in New Zealand when the new clip comes in. Special attention was drawn to the exceedingly severe clause intended to be added by the shipping companies to bills of lading for private wool shipments, this , clause reading as , follows:—"Consignees ■will undertake immediately on arrival of the steamer within the port of discharge to be ready forthwith to receive their cargo as fast as steamer oan discharge it from ship's tackles, wherever she may be lying, and in the event of consignees failing, , from any~cause whatsoever, to so take delivery the shipowners are at liberty, at the merchant's risk and expense, to discharge into craft or, to land in any available storage place, notwithstanding that it may not be a useful place for discharge of such goods, or that the goods may not bo stored'under cover, the same being at merchants' risks absolutely from the time of leaving the shin's tackles, anything in this bill of lading to the contrary notwithstanding."' It would appear that the object of this clause is to discourage consignments on private account while, storage space in England is so badly congested as at present. In fact, the Director of Raw Materials in England states that storage is practically unobtainable. A further important matter for discussion was the invitation from the Home Government for New Zealand to appoint two representatives to confer with and be associated with the authorities in London in dealing with the marketing of accumulated wool stocks in the hands of the Imperial .Government. , ■ The conference finally decided that in the matter of marketing wool in the> hands of the Home Government, and the appointment of New Zealand representatives to act in London in conference, and in association with the authorities there, the High Commissioner should make a selection after conferring with Sir Thomas Mackenzie, Messrs W. D. Hunt, Douglas M'Lean, R. Tripp, and other representative New Zealanders now in London, whose assistance would be valuable. . In addition, resolutions were earned to tfce following effect:—(l) That the Imperial Government be urged to provide the v utmost number of refrigerated ships to lift meat and other refrigerated proauce, and that wool be shipped if sufficient other general cargo be not available; (2) thanking the Prime Minister for his attendance and for the information given, and trusting that the Government will be able to assist woolgrowers who may have to hold over their next season's wool to finance upon it when in need of such assistance; (3) to request the Imperial Government to lend all possible assistance in enabling the woollen mills on tho Continent of Europe to increase their output, and at the same time ask whether there is any way in which the New Zealand Government can bo of' assistance in this; (4) strongly condemning the draft an wool, and requesting that further efforts bo made to secure its abolition."