THE WOOL CLIP

Southland Times, Issue 22201, 19 December 1933, Page 6

THE WOOL CLIP

IMPROVING QUALITY

NATIONAL SCHEME SUGGESTED NO ACTION THIS SESSION (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, December 18. No action is to be taken during the present session of Parliament to give legislative effect to the proposals recently put forward by the North Island sheep farmers for the improvement of the wool clip. The Agricultural and Pastoral Committee of the House of Representatives which heard evidence on the proposals, reported today that opinion on the question whether a wool improvement scheme should be a national, or an island one, was of a very divergent character. The committee recommended that before any legislation was enacted to enforce any particular scheme of wool improvement, a poll should be taken of those interested in the. production of wool. The committee recommended that its report should be referred to the Government for consideration, Mr W. J. Polson said that if there was to be a wool improvement scheme it should be a national scheme. At any rate there was grave doubt whether the scheme was necessary and whether sheep owners needed it. Evidence had been given by flock masters that the Romney type was improving. Wool research was valuable, but it should be handled by the Meat Board. Sheep farmers contended that the Meat Board’s powers should be widened. He regretted that an attempt had been made to push the proposition on to the sheep farmers. He agreed with the committee’s report. The Prime Minister, the Hon. G. W Forbes said that when he was in England in 1930, Bradford had told him that there had been serious deterioration in Romney wool. He had expressed his desire to meet the requirements of the buyers and when he returned to New Zealand he investigated the matter. Scientific workers at Massey College had expressed how that improvement could be effected. The larger sheep farmer was quite satisfied with the position, but the smaller farmer was in a different position. He bought the culls and it had to be remembered that a great portion of the clip came from the smaller man. Mr Forbes said he had pointed out to the industry that it would have to take action itself, but that the Government would assist. Meetings had been held and he had suggested that the proposal for legislation should be considered by the Agricultural and Pastoral Committee of the House. It was too late to take further action this session, but no doubt the matter would be gone into thoroughly next session. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr M. J. Savage, said he did not think anyone would oppose the principle involved. He was not a sheep farmer, but he was interested in improving the quality of the wool industry. He sincerely trusted that something would be done next session. Mr H. S. Kyle, chairman of. the committee, said that the first consideration for improvement had been in Romney sheep which to-day . had migrated to all parts of the Dominion. The matter was still before the Government. With the legislation the Meat Board could assist in the improvement of wool.

SALE AT DUNEDIN HIGH PERCENTAGE OF FINE CLASSES. (Per United Press Association.) Dunedin, December 18. Some 29,000 bales are scheduled for the first local wool sale on Wednesday and the realization of £500,000 is expected. It is stated the quality will be the best so far auctioned and the percentage of finer wools is higher than usual for the first sale owing to the fine weather and earlier shearing. THE TIMARU SALE AVERAGE OF £lB 2/- PER BALE. (Per United Press Association.) Timaru, December 18. As a result of the wool sale at Timaru on Saturday, £193,111 will be available for distribution on the prompt date, December 30. The average per bale worked out at £lB 2/-, compared with £7 17/4 at the first sale last season when 9432 bales were sold for £74,698. The clearance at the sale on Saturday was 10,674 bales. The increase on last season was 130 per cent. NORTH ISLAND AUCTIONS OVER £1,000,000 REALIZED. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, December 18. For the three wool sales already held in the North Island this season, the 72,500 odd bales sold have realized over £1,000,000 compared with slightly over £397,000 for 66,300 bales sold during the corresponding period last season. The gross value of the whole wool sold in the Dominion during the year ended June 30, 1933, was so that the first three sales in the North Island alone this season have already realized one-quarter of that amount. WOOL MARKETING. AUCTIONS MENACED. SELLING ON THE FARM. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 11.25 p.m.) Sydney, December 18. The Australian system of wool marketing is menaced, according to a wellinformed contributor to the Sydney Morning Herald, who declares that there is a remarkable growth of selling wool on the station or the farm. He estimates that four times more wool this year was sold in country districts by private treaty than last season, a large percentage comprising the best wools, which were shipped direct to mills abroad. He also estimates that a considerable proportion of the wool sold in this manner was obtained at twopence to fourpence a pound below current auction values. The correspondent contends that this sort of thing is bound to force down the levels at auction and eventually lead to chaos.