THE WOOL PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 205, 25 May 1921, Page 6

THE WOOL PROBLEM

DISPOSAL OF CLIPS ALTERNATIVE TO MR. MASSEY'S SCHEME By Telegraph—Special Reporter. Masterton, May 24. Mr. George Witters, representing the Gisborne branch of the Farmers' Union, addressed the Provincial Conference of the -union here to-day on the wool problem. He advocated selling the new season’s wool to the Imperial Government at IjJJ-lf commandeer rates. With all deference to Mr. Massey, ho thought the Primo Minister had made no better arrangements with the banks than they oould have made themselves. He was sorry to criticise Mr. Massey, because he was a strong supporter of him. Mr. Massey was going Homo with the fixed intention of getting an eight million profit on wool for tho Now Zealand farmer. Mr. Massey had no alternative to propose to the authorities, and he might be asked to place the speaker's scheme before them. His scheme was to pool two or- even three clips, and receive an average price until the pooled wool was disposed of by the Imperial authorities. They would receive a bonus on their wool every year. He .would not favour disposing of the wool through B.A.W.R.A. They ought to have a New Zealand committee which j might as well have the commission as the Australian concern. I

The chairman said they were indebted to Mr. Witters for placing before them a scheme which glittered whichever way one viewed it, but they had to remember that the Imperial Government was sickened of anything resembling a commandeer.. It was hopeless to expect that they would consider for a moment commandeering New Zealand wool. The whole thing was political, and the Government which took up Mr. Witters’s proposal would commit political suicide. If restitution were made of visible and invisible stocks, then tho wool surplus would be absorbed immediately. They were informed that the stores of Great Britain were bare of wool.

Mr. W. B. Matheson (Eketahuna) said that to his mind the proposal was not a commandeer, but a business proposition. Mr. Witters asked why politics should be allowed to interfere with the disposal of New Zealand wool. They could not expect to enjoy pre-war prices during the next season or two. They had to make the best of things. His scheme was not in the nature of a commandeer; it was a business proposition.

Mr. M'Lean (Wainui-o-mnta) said that Mr. Witters’s scheme was the only alter- ■ native that had been offered to the scheme Mr. Massey was engaged on. They had to thank Mr. Witters for the thought and labour he had put into tho matter. On the motion of Mr. A. Buchanan, senior, it was resolved to refer the proposal to the Dominion executive for consideration, Mr. Witters to attend to explain his scheme. SYDNEY WOOL SALES JAPANESE BUYERS ACTIVE. (Rec. May 24, 9.10 p.m.) , Sydney, May 24. At the wool sales Japanese buyers were active. Super merinos eased slightly, but medium sorts were unchanged. Inferior grades were better,' while there was a general advance in crossbreds. — Press Assn.