THE WOOL CLIP.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15750, 17 November 1916, Page 6

THE WOOL CLIP.

AWAITING- MR MASSEY'S REPLY, INTERESTS OF FREEZING CO3IPANIES, * (special to "thf. press.") WELLINGTON*. November 16. A hurriedly-convened conference of representatives of freezing companies was lield to-day to discuss with the Minister of Commerce (the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonaljl) tho terms on which wool handled by these companies is to bo requisitioned by the Imperial Government. These companies have always for, sale considerable quantities of slipe wool and scoured wool. The growers at one stage of their meetings, considered the advisability of fixing up a scale for these wools, but it. was agreed that the freezing companies ought to bo consulted. Many of the growers, however, had the idea that tho chief concern was theirs, arguing that the companies would regulate the prices to be paid to the farmer for his stock according to the pricas to be obtained for woo]. The companies' representatives had two meetings to-day, and after a general discussion, a committee was appointed to arrange details with the Minister. In the event of the requisitioning of wool being finally decided upon, the prices to bo paid will be based on those eventually j fixed for the main bulk of New Zealand's wool export. 0 I

SLIPE AND SCOURED WOOL. Thcic are details to bo provided for in the requisitioning of elipe and scoured wools, which aro not fully covered by the proposals for the handling of tho season's clip. Ordinarily, the freezing companies do not sell their wool in catalogues at tho seasonal sales; they have their own arrangemerits for tho disposal of tho wool in England. The requisitioning scheme, if applied to their wool, will cut across all the companies' usual lines of procedure in disposing of this wool. It is saic! that oven the valuing of slipc wool is a vory different business from the valuing of fleece wool. Much of tho slipo wool is vory short, because stock aro often sent into the works within a (few wcclcs of shearing time, and wool of this class is useful only for specialpurposes. These are some of the details that the oommittce appointed will have to take into consideration.

BROKERS AND BUYERS. No agreements have yet been, concluded between the Government and tho brokers, or the Government and the buyers. If the scheme is cmbarked "upon, tho Government will then treat with the brokers and buyers as to terms. Both the buyers and brokers have held meetings, and have made proposals to the Government-. Tho brokers havo submitted a flat rate offer, aud have, as an alternative, itemised the charges for storing, listing, insuring, and so on. The Government may choose- between tho overhead charge of a definite amount per pound and the payment of the charges for tiic separate services. In some centres tho charges by thi3 latter method of computation will be higher than 'in others.

The buyers have also made proposals to the Government wubmitting terms on which they are prepared to value wool. The Minister has asked them to submit their offer, and they finally made it last evening. One of t,he concerns of these Home buyers is that many of the men on the staffs are eligible for military service. Some are '•badged T ' men at Home, and are exempted only until tho end of tho wool season. These men do not want to be taken in under our compulsion scheme, but it can safely bo k said that their fears on this score ark groundless. They arc business visitors to New Zealand, and not resident here, and not liable for compulsory service, and in any case they can rely on getting exemptions here on the score of their special value as experts—at least as easily as in England.

Little more is likely to be heard of the negotiations generally until Mr Massey replies to Mr ' MaeDonald's cables. It is expected that this reply may be hero within a feu- days—possibly on Saturday. Mr Ma'DonaJd says that the need for prompt action is urgent, as there is dangpr of congestion in the stores nnd at the railway stations unless some kind of aetion is agreo<l upon forthwith ; indeed, some congestion ha s occurred alreadv.

(rjIEPS ASSOCIATION" TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON". November 16. An agreement has been arrived at dv the Wool Producers' Conference to seil the whole of the 1916-17 clip to tJie imperial Government at stated prices which, it is understood, are the mean prices ruling during the season 1915-16.