GOLDEN FLEECE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17239, 21 April 1930, Page 2

GOLDEN FLEECE

SYDNEY EXHIBITION OPENED BY GOVERNOR “USE MURE WOOL” CAMPAIGN. SYDNEY, April 8. The “Golden Fleece cxliibiuon was opened by tlie Governor, Sir Dudley de Cnair, yesterday, the ceremony being one of Ins last official acts in New South Wales. The object ol the exliibiiion, which is tlie initial step in a campaign, the incidences of which, it is nopeo, will reach the four 'corners of the glone, is to induce people, to use more wool. The exhibition embraces wool and wool products, from the sliep s hack, through the various grades and degrees of uniter garments and accessories, to the city suit; and is a. most comprehensive and liberal education of what can be achieved by Australians with Australian raw material. Speeches made at the opening and at the subsequent luncheon were ot the same tenor, indicating that the use of wool is not only advantageous from the point of view of health, but also from the point of view of Australia s financial stability. SIR. DUDLEY'S SPEECH.

“During my six years as Governor of this Slate," said Sir Dudley, “1 have seen much of vour unsurpassed woolproducing country, and have met many of your sheep breeders, whose lame has spread to every country where wool is produced or extensively used. 1 lake away with me lasting admiration for, and abiding faith in their work ami u'diiovemenls. I recognise the supreme importance of wool to Australia, and how the indiridal and national welfare is interwoven with wool. To make everyone in Australia 'wool conscious,' which is the objective, of this exhibition, is most commendable. Australians should give their preference to wool and woollens, because wool lias made and is making so many good and great tilings possible to Australia, and because wool lias unique properties, especially for health. Hie people’s patriotism ami commonscnso will be, l trust, emphatically for wool.

“Australia is producing tin* best wool in the world. Australia has more merino sheep than any other country in Tie world. Australia s handling of wool—the growing and marketing—is the admiration of the world. ,Surely then /mi will carry ou to the logical conclusion, and use more wool, thereby sating the final example to the world.

“Australian wool interests are giving mist earnest consideration to proposals enr a ‘Use Morn Wool' campaign, embracing scientific researuli and publicity, tml extending over t lie great wool-con-uiming countries. Seeing what scientific research and publicity have done for socalled substitutes for wool, and for so many r other, products, it does seem good modern business practice to enlist their services full time for wool. It is well for tho primary producers and nianiii’acturers to study the consumers' requirements. to give the. consumers what they want, and, as far as practicable, persuado the consumers to use still more of the product. To a large extent, until recently, wool sold itself; now, with formidable competitors in the field, extra efforts must be made to keep the world true to wool.

VITAL CD OPERATION

“I am sure that Australia’s wool industry is in most, ex client bands. It is necessary, however, that the woolgrowers, in their never ending fight for progress and prosperity, shall bo loyally supported bv the whole of the people. Hi is exhibition typifies the active spirit of co-operation among all internals, which is so desirable at any time, and which in these times of stress is vital. In times of stress and strain like, tiiese, we discover otir common interests; we recognise the ties of economic kinship, and we eoino closer together. Jf Australians co-operate whole-heartedly, as 1 am sure they will, Australia will soon overcome its difficulties, just as it surmounted so many obstacles in the past. “Finally, 1 would say: Carry oimvith vour gospel of “Use More Wool." beach arid practise it, for the health and wealth of Australia, and spread it o other countries.” MR. THEODORE’S SPEECH.

Australia could produce woollen goods equal to any in the world, said Mr. 1 hoodo.ro. those who could should .is.sisl, in some measure to rehabilitate our languishing wool industry. It nc -Ould do it by encouraging a greater use ■f wool in our own community it was doing good, and perhaps finding a morn, a other parts of the world. ’I lie re uas no real substitute for wool. We should use wool in preference to any of its substitutes. The value ot the wool clip this year lmd declined £30,000,020. and mid brought about a very difficult finau •:ial position in Australia. Australia had ceil living beyond her means. She had been buying more goods from other .oimtries than she -could pay for ; and that position had led to the drastic lotion in the Federal Parliament of in .inducing new tariff's. Some thought they weio unprecedented duties, hut'he thought tho action of the Government tvould be endorsed as the proper action .0 correct the difficulties with which the jountry was faced. (Applause.) Australia had imported in six and ahnlf years .£90,000,000 worth of goods none than she had exported. koine thought there might he serious reactions to the Federal Government’s action(Hear, hear)--which was only an emergency lari If. Some said that one of the consequences would he to force the shipping companies to increase, their outward freight, rates. In answer In tlml he pqinted out that in recent years Australia had been bringing iri a greater tonnage than she had been sending out. Imported goods amounted to 5.800,000 tons, and exports were only on 4,600,000 lons, so that the traffic had bee.ii larger one way than the other, and the impost lion of iho emergency tariff would he to create a bettor balance. The Federal Government had striven to bring about such a, volume of exports as would not only equal imports but would • exceed their value hv a sufficient sum of money to meet, Australia's interest obligations overseas.

A decline in wool, added Mr. Theodore, was reflected in the prosperity ot Australia. It was not the achievement of any parly benefit, hut the solution of tho problem with which the nation was faced that had actuated the new tariff'. The Government had endeavored to an jingo I hat Australia should apply a corrective to her adverse trade balance and shut Out all gooi/s not indispensable. Statistics had shown that Australia had imported luxury goods valued at £27.000.0C0 annually. Those goods could ho shut out without doing anything hut good to the community.

THK PREMIER'S SPEECH

The Premier, Mr. Bavin, said that halt the national income was from wool. While the industry gave employment not only directly to thousands of men, indirectly it employed tens of thousands To-day a point had been reached where it. was hardly profitable to produce wool. Australia must reduce costs of produc-

Lion. Australia must reduce prices nl wool ami woollen garments in the local market. It was impossible for Australia to fix the price of wool in tlm oversea*: market. The growers must, cut down tin l cost ol production, and must also he helped by the community. To on courage the groat or production of wool, woollen products must 'he sold more cheaply. lie had boon informed that only 2s worth of wool was contained in a. yard of serge costing 13s, and that in an £8 8s suit the raw material was worth no more than 6s or 7s. There was a heavy cost imposed on the consumer between the cost of the raw material and the finished article. They should impure whether it. was not possible to reduce that margin. (Applause.)