GRAZIERS’ PROBLEMS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18068, 20 April 1933, Page 11

GRAZIERS’ PROBLEMS

REDUCED TtfOOL PRICES AUSTRALIA’S LOSS OF INCOME Problems and prospects of the .wool industry were discussed by Mr. R. C. Wilson, : general manager _of the Graziers’ Co-operative Shearing Company. Limited, in an address to the Rotary Ciub at Sydney. Australia’s income from wool—£7o,000,000 in 1928—had dwindled, he said, to an estimated amount of between £30,000,000 and £33,000,000 this year. In 1928 the price was 19§d a ib, and now it was 5A (increased by the exchange to just under 9d). The industry’s productive capacity had never been better, Mr. Wilson continued. Tho number of sheep—--110,000,00 —was the greatest on rfccord. The average fleece had increased from a little less than Gibs to almost 91bs in 30 years. With onesixth of the world’s sheep, Australia produced one-third of its wool ; and with South Africa controlled the merino export trhdG. Fortunately, said Mr. Wilson, wool went straight into consumption. Id spite of the depression, there .was no banking up ..of supplies, and thffii, apart from low prices, the industry’s problems outside Australia were not considerable*. If no drought canie, the chief difficulties would be from changes of fashion and from the competition of other fibres: The Increasing popularity o'f stiff bathing meant hew sales of wool for costurdcs. These, however, were flow too scanty for the grazier/s taste. (liauglitfer.) Even the' introduction of central heating in modern buildings; t and of heating in trains and motor vehicles, affected wool consdmption. The qualities of wool whre such that, jn the immediate future, there need be no. fear of its being supplanted by artificial,fibres. ... . . nukusas Mr. Wilson sard that expenses which graziers could control had been reduced to the minimum. Jleliet should be afforded in this expenses h 6 could not control, notably freight and selling costs, tariff costs, taxation, and interest charges.