COMMANDEERED WOOL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2936, 23 November 1916, Page 4

COMMANDEERED WOOL

The woolgrowers of the Dominion j are to be congratulated on the de- ' cision arrived at respecting the offer of the Imperial authorities for this year's wool clip. The price offered means a heavy sacrifice when compared with ruling prices; it means a loss when compared with last year's rates, but it is a sacrifice made in a worthy cause. The price offered and accepted is an advance of eomething over 50 per cent, on the prices ruling for the 1913-14 wool clip. What this means to the woolgrowers and to the country may be gathered from the fact that whereas last year's wool clip realised something like £13,173,000, this year's—assuming that the quantity available is about the same should realise _ a little over £12,000,000. This means a yield of about a million pounds less than last year, but the loss to the woolgrowers would be greater if judged Dy current prices to-day. On the other hand, tho woolgrower benefits to the extent that he docs not have to pay broker' 6 commission. While the price offered by the Imperial authorities is below tho market rate it is, of course, a very profitable one. The country, as well as tho woolgrowers, will be a million or two the poorer than would Have been the ease had the clip been sold on _ tho open market, but it is a sacrifice which, in tho circumstances, we can well afford to make.