SCIENCE IN WOOL GROWING

Taranaki Daily News, 13 December 1930, Page 9

SCIENCE IN WOOL GROWING

ADVANCEMENT OF INDUSTRY

DOMINION CONFERENCE HELD.

BREEDING AND MANUFACTURING,

By Telegraph.—Press Association.

Wellington, Last Night.

A conference of Dominion wool interests, presided over by the Hon. A. J. Murdoch, Minister of Agriculture, was held on .December 8 at Wellington. There were present Lord Barnby, chairman of the British Wool Research Association, the Director-General of Agriculture, Dr. Reakes, the chairman of the Research Council, the principal of Masey Agricultural College arid representatives of the Sheepowners and Farmers’ Federation, the Farmers’ Union, the Research Department, the Board of Agriculture and the Department, of Agriculture.

The requirements of wool users and the aims of sheep breeders were fully discussed. The following represented the main points emerging from the discussion, these appearing to be generally acceptable to those present:— That in breeding wool the characteristics to be aimed at should be: (a; That in fleeces of finer than 48’s (average count) the. dominant aim should be to progressively mate with a view to eliminating the admixture through the fleece of coarse fibres; that once a fleece readied a 48’s count or finer the length was of relatively little important; (b) in the case of fleeces where tho average fibre would be classified as of a 46s’ quality or below that the long'!i of the staple and the lustre should predominate. Tliiit a levy on wool exported was desirable to establish a central fund to ■be used to the best interests of the wool-growing industry in a manner' to be decided by a representative body to be appropriately constituted. It was contemplated that economic research and publicity on the extended uses of wool would be commendable purposes. That technical research on independent lines as now being carried out in New Zealand on matters connected with the field of Wool' growing should cover activity in New Zealand, while technical research in wool manipulation should be done at Torridon, England, thus overlapping would be avoided. That an examination should be made of the incidence of the present freight rates on wool products and that the possibility of securing a reduction be considered. <

. That further special I publicity and propaganda be considered by the department (a.) to emphasise the desirability of proper skirting , and breeching of fleeces before packing; (b) that for riiarking there should be used only the fluid recommended by' the British Research Association, which has been specially composed to ensure complete dissolution in scouring; (c) that in packing wool the outside of the pack should be turned inside, so ensuring that the seam edges would be Outside; (d) that a general effort be made to suppress tho spiral burr; (e) that inferior rams ought to 'bo slaughtered. ; That conferences at Tegular periods of 12 months or less be held between representative bodies of the wool growers concerned and representatives in New Zealand of wool manufacturing inter-e-Ls to discuss matters. relating to wool production.and wool quality in order to assist towards the growing of wool of types most suitable for manufacturers in Great Britain and other countries.