“AT THE MERCY OF BUYERS”

Southland Times, Issue 23646, 22 October 1938, Page 19

“AT THE MERCY OF BUYERS”

NEW ZEALAND WOOL PRODUCERS That wool growers were at the mercy of strong combinations of buyers whose aim was to force down the price of wool was alleged at a meeting of the Wain.ate Farmers’ Union by Mr C. G. Verity, who moved the following motion: —

“That in view of the increasing combination in the wool-buying business threatening our liberty in the auctioneering of our wool, this meeting urges the necessity of an Empire Federation of wool growers to co-ordinate selling and to see that we get fair prices, as a counter to the buyers’ combine.” Mr Verity expressed the opinion that the wool sales were now a farce and were maintained merely to keep farmers from protesting.- His idea was to sort and class the wool thoroughout the Empire and tag it with a fair price, leaving the buyers to take it or leave it. He said that last year, when the finished article was sold on the best m .rket for years, wool prices were forced down.

The president (Mr J. Dempsey) said that the wool growers of New Zealand were known as a wool pie. He said that Mr Verity’s statement that, last year, buyers were in a hotel tossing a coin to see who would take delivery was correct. He was of the opinion that all wool should be sorted and classed in New Zealand, providing work for New Zealanders, and sold under the pool system, doing away with buyers altogether. Mr Cleland stated that this was coming to the Government’s commandeer system. Mr W. J. Fletcher suggested that the matter be referred to the New Zealand Sheep Owners’ Federation, and Mr Verity agreed that they should co-op-erate with an organization which would give them a backing. The meeting agreed to forward the motion as a remit to the South Canterbury executive.