FARMERS PROTEST AT EARLY DATE FOR OPENING WOOL SALE

Wanganui Chronicle, 27 April 1950, Page 4

FARMERS PROTEST AT EARLY DATE FOR OPENING WOOL SALE

The opinion that November 17, as fixed, was too early in the new season for the first Wanganui wool sale of 1950-51, was expressed at the monthly meeting yesterday of the Wanganui Provincial Executive of Federated Farmers, when it was decided that strong representation be made for a change in dates.

A remit from the Waimarino branch urged that a protest be made to the responsible authorities at the inadequate provision made for the disposal of next season’s wool clip in Wanganui.

In the event of a wet season for early shearing, the remit stated, brokers would have difficulty in filling their catalogue for the sale on November 17. The next sale on January 23, however, would be totally inadequate to take the wool offering. Mr. I. F. E. Carter (Ohakune) said that the date of the first sale was too early in the season. In the event of a wet spring there would be no hope of filling the catalogue, which would mean tremendous congestion for the second sale in January, and no hope of the stores being able to cope with all the wool offering by then. “The brokers are very concerned at the position and have taken sane action. Farmers as a whole should stand behind them and make vigorous representations to the Wool Disposal Commission, pointing out that the dates fixed are entirely unsuitable for the Wanganui district," Mr. Carter added.

Mr. F. H. Larsen (Waitotara): We use the first sale of the season, but in the event of wet weather there will not be a hope of getting the wool in on time. I’m quite satisfied that the catalogue will not be half filled. The president, Mr. H. J. Donnelly (Raetihi): The Wanganui Wool Brokers have made urgent and strong representations about this.

Mr Larsen said that when wool dates were being fixed the men who had wool to sell should be consulted before the wool buyers.

The committee allocating the dates for wool sales possibly did not realise that sheep could not be shorn before they were fit to be shorn. On the West Coast of the North Island it was not possible to shear till the end of October. The remit was carried.