THE WOOL COMMANDEER

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 116, 10 February 1919, Page 8

THE WOOL COMMANDEER

(To (lie Editor.) Sir,—l have had a. copy of Hie "Darling Downs Gazette/' published in Australia on January 2, forwarded to me, which contains a letter written by Mr. Alick M'D. M'Lean, who writes flora the Foreign Wool Department of the Government Wool Administration, 2G3 Summer Street, Boston, U.S.A., under date Novemlier 9, 1918. As his summary pt Hie position so strongly supports the arguments of those who have protested against the extension of the wool contract after the close of the war, i have taken tlie following extracts from hie letters:-*-. "The issue prices of Australian wools by the United States Government : to manufacturers nre from 110 to 135 per cent, higher than the clean basfs prices on which the Australian growers' wool is purchased, and even then they arc of slightly cheaper values than tile domestic wools." These are irrefutable facts. "Tho United Stales Government war orders for clothing have been temporarily stopped, and it is stated that the War Service Committee of the wool manufacturing industry at a conference yesterday recommended that the Govern■'ment control wools available for civilian consumption be offered to consumers at auction. Meanwhile the QuartermasterGeneral has issued instructions to ..-;hu wool distributor to release wools for civilian use at the present issue prices for wools going into Ann.? requirements. This means that the civilian manufacturers are paying from 110 per cent, to 135 per cent, per scoured pound higher than the Australian growers are paid. "It is certain that the American Government will.not take up the nefct,domestic clip, as it would serve no good purpose here, and is abnormal in price, which latter must fall sooner or later to a mare reasonable level. "At a meeting of tho British wool trade recently, presided over by Mr. Arthur J. Hill, it was unanimously agreed that the resumption of wool sales anil a fair and adequate system of wool distribution be adopted. Theso sales have been more or less under Government coiltrolas to the destination of tho wool. "Now that the Army and Navy .needs have become a more constant quantity, and that iv huge amount of the liUr-lo clip will not arrive in London for many ironths, and -will be sufficient for any Government requirements unfilled, it is indeed time to ask if there is any justification for Australia being pennhscd to tip extent of probably between .£(,500,000 and ,£10,000,000 the next wool season, I<ll9-'O, and proportionate amount should the control be further extended. "The shipping position will improve rapidly in the absence of U-boats. During tlie first week in November Amnrica cioated a new world's roedrd by delivering to the Shipping Board vessels aggregating some 101,000 tons dead-weight. "H Australia's wool is to be controlled during.the 1910-20 season, surely we are a democratic enough country that one may ask whore the justification lies, and for whosobonefit it is." It is important to note the different methods adopted by our Imperial authorities and tlioso of the Americans. Tho latter dcclino to further commnndeer their country's wool, as practically the steles of wool still in hand are more than suffieionl for military requirements, and warding these stocks of wool which they hold nt present not required for military purposes, the Americans are selling this wool to the trade by public auction. Our authorities enforced the commandeer until June 30, 192(1, at prices much below the true value of the wool, for by t\he Imperial War Cabinet's report for 1917 it. is officially admitted that tho New Zealand Government made the contract in 1!)1G at a price which was then below the real value of the wool. Since then, through the world's shortage of wool and cotton its value has unquestionably still further considerably increased. Then they sell Ihis wool over to the manufacturers at cost or even below cost. Thwe manufacturers are in no way restricted as to what they chn.rge for civilian requirement?. The New Zealand wool-•Ki-ower is paid an average of Is. 2Jd. per II). His wool is handed over to the wooi manufacturers at practically cost, and those manufacturers in turn nre allowed to sell the manufactured cloth from our wool to our.tailors at n price, as high as Sis. and over per yard: Tt only takes about one'pound and a half of good wool to make 'a, yurxl <•■! cloth, or in the case of very-dirty and swdy.wool—for which about 'til. per ]I>. or even under is paidit may take 31b. of wool to make a yard of olftth. In face of such facts, is it any wonder our tailors Imvi> now lo charge 11s ,£!) or ,£lO for a suit that would cost before, the war ,£!> or M? Under, theso circumstances'! lenvp your readers to judge fov themselves who gains most through the enforced commandeer of our wool. 1 A shnrl: limn n.i'o T supplied figures to our "National Government, which I mnv say they have no) questioned although inviled to do so,' showing that (he woolgrowers of Nγiv Maud were losing mid conceding «C7,C50,05!) per annum in consequence of the spirit and intention of the original wool contract being ilisrejrardpil. Now the slntpment of the above American official shows Hint my figuips were in fact very much on the- low side as we know that Neiv Zealand wool i? more in demand and consequently of better value !li"n Australian wol. However, I trust that when not only I he fanner but everyone else in this Dominion—as assuredly all classes are affected by Ihis question—understands tho true position it will become not only a commercial hut n. political matter from one »nd of the Dominion to the oilier, ond it is to be regretted that our controlling

nulliorities have v not protected the producers anil the Dominion in the snmo way iwj the American authorities are prolotting their producers and their country's rights.—l am, etc, . AV. DOUGLAS LYSNAE. Gisliorno, February 4,1919.