WOOL IMPROVEMENT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 256, 29 October 1934, Page 6

WOOL IMPROVEMENT

WILL GROWER PAY TWICE ? AN OBJECTION RAISED Is the woolgrower likely to be called upon to pay twice, once by the levy to the proposed group and once again when he purchases the tested rams, because the breeder -will ask more for the rams which come out of the test with flying colours than for the untested ones ? This was referred to one of the promoters of the new wool improvement scheme who said that there was something in the argument that the grower would pay more. In the first place, the public always is willing to pay more, provided it gets a better article. It pays the public to do so, and this applies to the buyer of rams as to the buyer of anything else. As to the point of the woolgrowers paying for the testing, the original circular which was sent out states in two places that the testing is to be subsidised. not necessarily paid for entirely by the growers : the amount of the subsidy being at the discretion of the committee. The circular also states, in another place that the policy of the group will be controlled by the members. These members will be predominantly growers, so there will be a greatex* emphasis placed on the requirements of the growers than of the breeders. It must not be forgotten that the stud breeder is making considerable concessions. The reception of benefits does nut wholly run his way. First of all he is entrusting some of the control of his marketing to a group most of whose members are buyers ; secondly, he may have a certain number of rams which test badly. It speaks highly for the public spiritedness of the stud breeder th: t already several are pre-j pared to join in. What it really amounts to is this: Certain woolgrowcrs Lave been in the! habit of Mating that the benzol test is all right; but that not one of the stud breeders was game to offer his sheep for sale showing the result of such test upon them ; that the stud breeder was more, interested in trimming and faking his sheep to make them look better than they really are. The exigencies of competition in a keen market have no doubt necessitated that rams should be made to look their best. But we have now reached a stage where certain stud breeders are prepared to show us the result of the benzol test ou their rams. In other words, they have accepted the challenge of the woolgrowers. This is really very heartening and surely merits encouragement from the woolgrowers. We now have the beginnings of co-opera-tive action if the grower will respond by uniting with the breeder in a group movement, working for a common end —the improvement of our sheep and wool.