INFERIOR TOOLS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19941, 27 October 1934, Page 4

INFERIOR TOOLS

SUGGESTION TO WITIIOLD A suggestion that legislative power should be obtained to withold low grade and inferior wools from the market with a view of forcing up the prices for better quality lines was made to a meeting of the Poverty Bay executive of the Farmers’ Union on Saturday by Mr F. S. Bowen.

Already, said Mr Bowen, a similar principle had been established in regard to meat and butter, and it was absurd to expect satisfactory returns from wool until the Government controlled the offering in such manner that only better grades would be made available until an improved demand made it worth while disposing of inferior sorts. He pointed out that the British Empire grows about half the wool produced in the world, and expressed the opinion that if New Zealand set the lead the other Dominions would follow. About 15 per cent, of the Dominion’s wool was represented by lower grades, and a restriction on the sale of that would mean that about 10,000 bales would be withheld. The total value of that would only be about £300,000, so that the loss would not be great in ny case, with every prospect of it being more than made up by higher prices obtained for the better quality product. In the course of the discussion several arguments were advanced against the scheme, and on going to the vote the proposal was defeated.