WOOL AND THE DEMAND.

Southland Times, Issue 20665, 22 April 1929, Page 3

WOOL AND THE DEMAND.

To the Editor. Sir, —In the Melbourne Argus of April .3 “Vista” writes: “The solution of the wool problem lies as Mr Tripp says, with the growers and manufacturers, but he is not far-sighted enough when he comes to ..the conclusion that advertising is the chief method to employ.” I wish to state, I still think it is, as the advantages of (wearing woollen clothes from a health point of view can only be put before the public by advertisement. I hope “Vista” does not believe I am so narrow-minded as to think this, is the only method to adopt—there is a very, great deal to be done by research work, also getting manufacturers to make women’s clothes light enough to take the place of artificial silk. This all requires money and can only be obtained by a compulsory levy. Any compulsion to the British, race is objectionable, but I would like to state they have put up with a compulsory levy on wool, which has been' in force for so long they do not realize it. It is as follows: —“Every IOOIbs of wool has 11b deducted, for what is called draft, viz., a bale of wool of 3001bs weight has 31bt> deducted. (This came into force hundreds of years ago when weighing machines were not reliable).

Say a bale of wool weighs 3001bs and wool is worth one shilling per lb, the grower gives the wool buyer three shillings per bale for his benefit.

What I would like to suggest is that the wool buyers, who are really the agents for the wool manufacturers, should agree to only keep two-thirds of this money for themselves, and to hand back one-third to an advertising and research board. The wool buyers and woollen manufacturers who are broad-minded men will see the advantage of doing this as their business and trade would universally increase. This scheme will automatically bring in the wool-growers and manufacturers, and if Australia and New Zealand adopt it, other countries are bound to follow their lead.

The cost of collecting this fund will he next to nothing, as the wool brokers now deduct off the grower’s account sales the value of Uh of wool from every IOOIbs weight sold. All I suggest is that they hand back onethird of this to an advertising and research board.—l am, etc., BERNARD TRIPP. Glen-iti, Timaru.