WOOL GLIP BOUGHT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12069, 26 July 1917, Page 4

WOOL GLIP BOUGHT.

PAST SEASON'S DEAL REPEATED. SHIPPING ARRANGEMENTS. A- SIGNIFICANT ANNOUNCEMENT. [From OUR CORRES;'O.VI>EXT.] WELLINGTON, .July 2a. An announcement. was made to Parliament to-day by the Prime Minister of the terms on which the. Imperial Government/ will acquire tho whole of next season s Now Zealand wool clip in practically the sanio way as last souson's arrangement. Mr Massey remarked that ho hardly needed to remind members that last year's arrangement was, on the whole-, satisfactoryIt was just, possible that the, Government might be able in connection with some details to make some improvement. He intended to t-nk« the a.duce of the Board of Agriculture whether it- was necessary to convene a. representative meeting of New Zen la ml woolgrowers to consider the offer. Tho communication he had received through the High Commissioner from the Imperial authorities was very lengthy, but there was one significant paragraph he thought he ought, to mako public. it was as follows: " In considering what should be a fair price for next clip, it is important to hear in mind that shipping facilities will become increasingly inadequate to lift the clips, and, in any case, a considerable quantity of wool will almost certainly remain in Australasia until after the war. In view of tho increased probability that wool will not be shipped, the. Imperial Government considers that the price of the clip should not exceed the price paid last year, but is prepared ™ pay for the whole clip on Ihe level of 1016-17 prices, undertaking all risks of shipping and paying for the wool jus Last year, whether ships ar' 1 available or not, continuing last [ year's arrangement whereby any profit made from wool sold for other than military purposes is divide,.! 1 equally between the Imperial Government and colonial Governments, after administrative and other expenses have been met." Mr Masscy .added that the arrangement for halving the additional price secured in open market for wool not needed for military purposes was part of last yeai-'s system. Mr Witty: A pity it doesn't apply to mutton. Mr Massey: Mutton is under a different heading. As a matter a{ fact, the meat arrangements have, on tlrj whole, worked very we]]. Mr Wilford asked if it would be possible to release some of the lambs from c6ol storage for local consumption. Mr Massey replied that he had indicated that arrangements could be, made sirtiilnr to those in Auckland, but; be was informed by the Board of Trade that one Wellington firm of wholesale butchers was supplying retailers at as low a price as could be secured under the Government's arrangement.