WOOL HANDLING COSTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17911, 15 October 1932, Page 6

WOOL HANDLING COSTS

SAME AS IN GOOD TIMES FARMERS WANT REDUCTION 1 Gisborne fanners desire a reduction in the cost of handling wool forwarded to the marketing centres. It was reported by the secretary, Mr. ,0. Blackburn, at to-day’s meeting of the .Poverty Bav branch of the Farmers Union that the delegates from the union ’and the Sheepowners’ Union were to meet the Gisborne Woolbrpkors’ Association at its meeting on Monday with a view to seeking some method of reducing the number of handlings of wool at Gisborne before sending it to the sales at Napier. It was also believed that the charges -should be reduced. The president, Mr. J. E. Benson, said that in 1924 he shipped Home 74 bales of, wool, and handling, costs amounted to £2O 7s. Last season lie shipped 75 bales, j and similar charges totalled £2O 12s 6d. In 1924, the wool was bringing 15d per lb., but the values were now down 200 per cent. It seemed out of all proportion that the same costs should prevail .now as in times when prices for the wool t,were high. ! Mr. J. O. Field said that the handling charges at Homo had been reduced, and lie maintained that the charges should be reduced in New Zealand as well.

It was decided to place the proposals for a reduction of charges before the Wool-brokers’ Association on Monday at the same time as the plea for a reduction of the number of handlings was made. The delegates to meet the woolbrokers are Messrs. J. E. Benson, G. V. Smith, and F. S'. Bowen, representing the Farmers’ Union, and Mr. L. 11. Maclean, representing the Sheepowners’ Union.