OUR WOOL LOSSES
Sir—l am both honoured and pleased at seeing my letter in tho farmers' column of vour issue of February 27, and feel that 1 will now be able to get justko done to tho primary producer, as well ,as the Dominion, and succeed in correcting that gigantic error of some thirty million pounds sterling in tho contract for the sale of our wool under the commandeer, made here during the absence of Mr. Ma.wcv and Sir Joseph Ward in London. ' This correction involves no departure from tho terms of tho onginql oiler made by the Wool Commissioner, and is only the correct reading of the cablegram sent by him. ... The 6um claimed is only a small proportion of the profit actually saved under tho commandeer, as I reckon our greasy wool has risen in price on tho average for farmers' mixed parcels of fleeces and pieces, from Is. 2d. to 3s. Gd. per lb. ou the London market between July, 19U. and the present time. I have checked the Commissioner's figure of ii per cent, offered under the commandeer, which was really the enhanced London value between July, ]9M, and the date of tho commandeer in November, 191G, hut have no data at my command to calculate the difference between November, 19IG. nnd the present. The latter figure of 3s. Gd. iier lb. on the average for all classes of greasy wool supplied Under the commandeer, is' therefore only a shot, which may not be very wide of a bull'seve. as 1 am not usually far from the bull. In that case the total saving to the Imperial Government over and above the tuirtv millions, I claim to be justly owing, may amount to an additional thirty iniliion pounds sterling, and no wonder the peoplo at Homo aro appalled at the concessions demanded and accented from us, while other producers in Britain and elsewhere reap all the benefit of the enhancement in Loudon prices.
Tho Huddcrsfield merchant referred to in the same issue of your paper rubs his eyes with astonishment, and wonders what possessed politicians to do such a "mad thins."
AVo are told in extenuation of tho mistake that the farmers' representatives confirmed tho sale, but that (low not exonerate or whitewash the politician responsible for it, and only shows that neither ho nor they are lit to handle big things in future.
A slieht omission of one small word in mv letter, which appeared in your issuo of January 27, alters tho meaning o/ tlio last paragraph but one, and should have read "have not received 55 per cent, over me-war price." The mistako may have been mine.
The correction of the error and acceptance of the prico the Wool Commissioner offered will, of course, cancel the halfprofits grant-ad as a solatium for the mistake, and which we now learn .by cablegram are most difficult to arrive at and verv irksome to' tho Home Government, as the scheme prevents, or at least interferes, witli direct shipment to foreign countries in settlement of exchanges. .• I think it will bo found that tlio Imperial Government is as willing to effect an immediate settlement in the manner I have suggested as the large proportion of sheenfarmers here, and I hope Mr. Massev will accept the suggestion in the snirit in which it is offered.—l am, etc., PRIMARY PRODUCER.
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Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 114, 7 February 1920, Page 8
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561OUR WOOL LOSSES Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 114, 7 February 1920, Page 8
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