AMPLE SUPPLY OF WOOLPACKS

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 34, 4 November 1942, Page 4

AMPLE SUPPLY OF WOOLPACKS

Statement By Minister

(By Telegraph. —Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, November 3. All the woolpacks required for tlie current season and a substantial carryover for next season are now in New Zealand. This was stated by the Minister of Supply, Mr. Sullivan, wbeuihe explained the lateness for fixing thSoprice of woolpacks at 7/- at main ports, and in no cases higher than 7/3. Usually tlie price 'is fixed about May or June, but Mr. Sullivan said exceptional circumstances had prevented an earlier announcement. Extreme difficulties, said the Minister, had been encountered in procuring overseas supplies of jute packs because of the Japanese entry into the war, and it had been only through the constantefforts of the Government, in conjunction with the British. Ministry of Shipping, that ships had been made available to bring the packs. The ships carrying the packs to New Zealand came by various routes which substantially added to the cost. The Calcutta jute organization was prepared to grant trading and credit facilities to merchants in the Dominion which were more advantageous than those granted to their clients in other parts of the world. The Minister emphasized that the overall price of packs at 7/- main ports was lower by 3d. a pack than it would have been it the Foxton factory had not been making packs from New Zealand tlax. The Foxton factory bad at a critical period supplied 50 per cent, of Neiv Zealand’s requirements, and the splice which would have been taken bv 450,000 packs from India had been taken by products essential to the Dominion's war effort. Grave doubts existed at the beginning of the year whether New Zealand would have sufficient packs for its wool clip, the Minister said. In addition to making 450,000 packs in the Foxton factory, the Government took the precaution early in the year to place an order in Calcutta for 450 bales of packs. The bulk of that'supply arrived two months ago. As an additional precaution the Government asked merchants to lay in stocks sufficient for a further 12 months, and the ready response was appreciated. The reserve stock would be stored by the stock and station-agents and some small charges would occur which would have to be adjusted in the price when those packs went into circulation.