TIMARU WOOL SALES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19801, 17 May 1934, Page 8

TIMARU WOOL SALES

COMMENT ON LATEST ROSTER

FEARS OF POSSIBLE CENTRALISATION

A hope that any move towards the centralisation of wool sales to the detriment of South Canterbury would be strenuously opposed was expressed at last night’s annual meeting of the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce by Mr C. E. Kerr. Mr Kerr said that it appeared that woolbuyers were trying to move towards centralisation of sales, and if anything in that direction were done it would be a serious thing for Timaru and the farming community of South Canterbury generally. It would mean a loss to the harbour, labour employed on the waterfront, and to shipping interests. It would, in fact, be a most backward step so far as this district was concerned. He hoped that the Chamber would keep the matter steadily in view, and that if any step towards centralisation was made it would be strongly resented and opposed.

The chairman (Mr A. P. Greenfield) said that it was the first he had heard about the matter this year. Centralisation of the sales would mean centralisation of shipping, and he felt sure that the Chamber would be alive to the position if it should crop up. "I am glad that Mr Kerr has brought this matter up, but there -is one point that he has overlooked,” said Mr J. Anstey. The first Timaru sale was set down for early in December, and there would, according to the recentlypublished roster, be no other sale for three months. It was far too long to hold wool. It appeared to him as though an attempt was being made to spoil the popularity of Timaru as a wool sale centre. In his opinion the main sale here should be held in January. There were two Christchurch sales between Timaru’s first and second sates, and the second sale here should be a great deal earlier than March 13. Mr Kerr: “Quite right.” Formerly, he said, there used to be one Timaru sale about the middle of December, one about the middle of January, and the final sale in February. The Timaru sale the other day had just been a clearing up, while at the first sale there had not been much wool on account of the abnormal season in South Canterbury. Mr Anstey: The middle of December is too early for anything except dry wool.

The chairman: This season has been exceptional. He thought that farming bodies and others interested would be advised to keep the matter in view. Mr C. S. Hammond said that in the meantime he thought that the matter could reasonably be left to the South Canterbury Woolbrokers’ Association to act in conjunction with farmers’ organisations. South Canterbury could hardly support three sales with the wool offering. It had been found very hard to fit in all sales in the various districts of the Dominion, and three rosters had been prepared for next season, and one finally accepted. If a sale were held here in February, as in the past, it would be difficult, in the event of a late season, to get all the wool in for the second sale. If three sales were held there would perhaps be two good sales and one poor one, and the latter would merely antagonise buyers. He felt sure that if the Woolbrokers’ Association felt that it was not receiving the consideration it was entitled to, then would be the time for the Chamber to give its support. The roster for the new season had now been arranged, and there was no likelihood of it being altered.