The Daily News THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1929. THE WOOL INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 November 1929, Page 10

The Daily News THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1929. THE WOOL INDUSTRY.

The great importance • that- attaches to the prosperity of the wool industry, which, with the 'dairy industry, constitutes . the main source of . the Dominion’s wealth, should cause special interest to be taken in the recent report of the chairman of the Scientific and Industrial Research Council to the Minister concerning the investigations commenced at the Massey and ; Lincoln colleges as to the uses 'to which New Zealand wool is put, and the steps necessary to be taken to produce the particular kinds of, staple required by overseas buyers. The onward march of .. science and human inventiveness, the ever changing fashions, as well as a number of other causes, have combined to necessitate a’ revised definition of the basic principle of political economy as translated into the simple postulate of making two blades of grass grow where only one previously existed. It is now absolutely imperative to ensure that not only must there be a twofold increase in quantity, but in the quality as well. In spite of the changed conditions affecting the woollen industry, consequent upon the advent of artificial substitutes for wool and cotton fabrics, there will always exist a demand for wool, but it will probably be a demand for particular classes of clips that will not only suit the manufacturers of woollen goods as. in the past, but will also meet the requirements of those who operate in modern fabrics which are now high in favour. Obviously there must be two main fields of research and experiment in order to place this important.industry upon a proper footing so as to meet modern requirements. The first task is to discover the particular essential qualities and constituents of the wool best suited. for manufacturing purposes under conditions existing from time to time. That is work, which -has been undertaken and is being pursued by the British Research Association for the woollen and worsted industries, the producers’ part in this field..of operations being to supply the Home research association with a collection of representative fleeces selected from flocks of known pedigree ■ in ■ both islands for detailed ' investigation, which naturally includes a thorough inquiry into the precise uses to which New Zealand wool is being put in the Old Country and elsewhere. r That portion of- research should be comparatively easy as compared with the work of ascertaining the necessary steps to be taken in order to produce the classes of wool most suitable for manufacturing purposes throughout the-world. . It is in connection'with this latter Inquiry that I "e i ’ ‘

the Massey and Lincoln Colleges can be of great service, not only in the field of research and experiment, but also in educating the producers in the science of wool culture in all its branches. The producers are naturally interested in obtaining the best possible price for their wares, and this can only be by placing on the overseas markets such goods .as by their substance, quality and fitness for the purposes for which they are intended command top values- Just as in dairying the aim has been to as nearly perfect the dairy cow as a butter-fat producing animal, so must it be the aim of the sheep farmer to produce exactly the class of -wool required for modern manufactures. As soon as the British Research Association, in conjunction with other similar organisations in? the Empire, has : thoroughly investigated the precise uses for. which New Zealand wool can be made suitable, it will be for the Massey and Lincoln colleges to find out what steps are necessary to obtain the desired result. The sheep farmers may be trusted to do all in their power to carry out their part towards solving. the problem of meeting the market on favourable terms.