WOOL PRICES.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16986, 8 November 1920, Page 8

WOOL PRICES.

TO Tlffi EDITOK OF "THE rBESS.'' S'r,—The woolly "Bears" have spoken preparatory to their advent to tiie Australasian colonies to operato at the various local wool sales, and the baby "Bears" have taken up the cry iiere of lower prices for our principal export, and are doing their utmost both ill and out of Parliament to depreciate it. Now I am not a prophet, nor the son of a prophet, and notwithstanding Sir James Allen's basic: price of 9id jler lb for qur wool under the commandeer, have some kidney fat left-, and am prepared to form a syndicate of men, who need no bolstering up by bankers or wool-brokers, to buy up all the finer wools offered at our Dominion salea at 55 per cent, over the prico of Is 33d per lb, at which they havo been sold to the local woollen mills for the last four years, vide Mr Massey. He hag also told us that their price is to be fixed thi-3 year by tho values current at these? local sales, and, if so, my limit of 2s per lb or over, for the wools which have been almost gifted to them for tho last four years, by tho National Government, presided over by Sir James Allen, will bump them up a bit and make them give us a square deal. Instead of a drop in price and tho bottom falling out of the wool market, which all our Jeremiahs have beeii preaching of late, this will mean an increase of .-;bout 150 per cent, over the basic price of 9Jd per lb for the 1013-14 clip, and give us a small share of the phenomenal prices which have fallen to the lot of all wool-growers but ourselves, and our brethren across tho Tasman Sea. All that our sheep-farmers need is confidenre in themselves, and the article they aro producing, and if they would onlv keep a stiff upper lip and fix limits for sale of any finer wool offering here, in accordance with the prices now current at Home, they would prick the bladder and prevent the rigging of the market which is now beimr Attempted. ' "They need not fear to ship Home fcr Bale, if their" limits here arefnot reached, as five times out of six it would pay them well to do -£o, and allow their linancii.il agent here their commission oil the annual turno". er. and pay the banking or shipping agent and brokers charges as xrclL It is reported that Mr Majsey is trying to induce otrr woollen manufacturing companies to pay him an. extra 6d per lb on the 83-000 fccles used daring the commanderr,. and so enlleci the extra strm by of iiidi-prafit an. wool sent Home tmr sok? antlrr the commsndear anrtrarfL, but he cut*- as well coll to tile varAy deep to juve up its dead aa them to disgorgs*. .■ill wg can (it> him is to icnlti* them par a cammsmmsuia praia Ear thaiir £*> quiramfiirta. thro mnL thas - ogl

well afford to do so, notwithstanding tho Hon. Mr Leo's statements that their profits during these four years have not been excessive. Tho enhanced valuo of their shapes runs into about a million of money, and tho selling price of tho Bruce mills shares has almost been quadrupled.— Yours, etc., SHEEP FARMER.. P.S.—A neighbour of mine who is quite unable to afford such a sum, has had to pay out some £280 by way of "infinite'simal" contribution to tho Mercantile Marine Fund. Ho was" too honourable a man to dishonour his owit signature, and is silently suffering.— S.F.