7

H.—3B.

Wool bought and shipped. From the commencement of the requisition up to the 31st March, 1920, wool has been bought and disposed of as under : — Total number of bales valued (as per valuation certificates received).. .. 2,039,157 Number of bales lost in transit .. . . .. . . 9,668 Number of bales arrived at destination (in 211 steamers) .. 1,090,393 Number of bales en route to Great Britain (in six steamers) . . 30,202 Number of bales shipped to America .. .. ~ .. 10.321 Number of bales shipped on account of other Governments .. 110,994 Number of bales of greasy wool delivered to scourers for treatment 357,434 Number of bales of greasy wool available for shipment or scouring 430,145 2.039,157 Number of bales of scoured and follniongers' slipe wool, shipped . . .. 282,185 Number of bales of scoured and fellmongers' slipe wool available for shipment 56,142 Total number of bales paid for .. .. .. .. .. 2,031,092 The sum of £49,600,913 was disbursed in payment of the 2,031,092 bales referred to above. Wool for other Governments. Acting under instructions from the Imperial Government, the undermentioned quantities of wool have been selected for other Governments : For the Government of— Bales. France .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 85,422 United States of America . . . . . . . . . . 112,401 Canada .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 32,466 Total .. .. .. .. ..230,289 Of the above quantities, shipments to the respective Governments have been effected as follows :— To the Government of— Bales. France .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 49,207 United States of America .. .. .. .. 58,658 Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32,466 Total .. .. .. .. .. 140,331 The balance of selections unshipped- namely, 89,958 bales —has been cancelled and the wool held for shipment to the United Kingdom. The prices charged for the wool shipped were arranged by the Imperial Government. Wool for Local Mills. The arrangement whereby local mills were enabled to select such wool as they required, prior to valuation, at the Imperial Government rates plus the cost of valuation, has been continued, up to the average quantity of wool used by each woollen-mill during the previous two years. For any wool purchased in excess of the average for the years ending 31st October, 1918, and 31st October, 1919, the local woollen-mills are required to pay an additional price, representing half the net average margin between appraised values in New Zealand, plus charges and London sale values. WOOL-SCOURING ARRANGEMENTS. The arrangements made for scouring locks, pieces, lambs' and heavy conditioned fleece wool have been continued as in previous years, and the following shows the quantities distributed to or set aside for wool-scourers up to the 31st March, 1920 :— Bales. Season 1916-17 .. .. .. . . .. 80,951 Season 1917-18 .. .. . . .. .. 107,739 Season 1918 -19 .. .. .. .. .. 121,064 Season 1919-20 (to 31st March) . . . . . . 60,354