WOOL AFTER THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 16, 14 October 1943, Page 4

WOOL AFTER THE WAR

The appointments to the New Zealand Wool Council, recently announced, will direct attention to the need there is for some official statement on the present position and post-war prospects ot the industry Tn the manufacturing centres of Great Britain, and also in Australia, there has been much discussion regarding the place of wool in the post-war world. There have been proposals that representatives of wool interests in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, the sellins countries, should meet in conference and explore the.possibilities of a joint policy for the marketing of the raw material. At the present time, and for one year after the restoration of peace, the British Government is under contract to purchase the entire exportable clip, and no doubt many growers will hope that in that period the many problems of accumulated stocks, shipping and manufacturing, will be for the most part settled. . In the Commonwealth, however, there is strong su PP” r t J. 01 a plan whereby the existing arrangements would be extended tor a period of years. From the manufacturing end. however, have come expressions of hope that the former system will be restored as soon as possible. Recently, a Bradford correspondent said that many woclgrowers did not yet realize the extent to which the war-time system of control had deprived firms of their normal functions. In Britain today, he said, tlie wool remains the property of the Government unti it passes to the spinner, and added: “This means that the raw materia handling firms lose all right to deal in the commodity as something which they may buy and sell.” This order of things is accepted willingly d part of the war effort, but the firms naturally look forwaid to the restoration of their freedom to trade. . Recently a Melbourne newspaper published a cable message fioi its London correspondent giving the views of Mr. E. C. Belli ens, chairman of the British wool textile export group, a statutory body set up to promote the interests of Britain’s overseas trade m woollen (roods. Mr. Behrens said: “Arrangements should be made to check violent fluctuations in raw material prices and prevent trade dislocation caused by disparity in production - costs of vanom> Woollen goods manufacturers must organize to reduce the costs bringing mill products overseas to consumers and might have to arrange group selling in certain markets to economize n costs The war had brought about reduced supplies of civilian clothing throughout t e world, and it was likely that the British wool textile industry afte the war would be working for some years to the full capacity of avaflable labour. He believed the post-war era would„see continued clothing and other rationing to prevent foolish booms.’ What are .the views entertained by the industry here. Does the council endorse the Australian suggestion for extended control of the industry, so far as bulk purchasing is concerned? These and othei questions, especially those relating to the marketing of any accumula ed stocks at the conclusion of the war, are of immediate concern to the Dominion, for it seems inevitable that competition from artificial ftotes will be much more keen, and a competitive price may be the decisive factor A Sydney paper recently stated that there was growing speculation in both London and Australia regarding)the future prospects for wool, and growers here will look to the council for a lead in connexion with these matters.

Every now and then a brief cable message gives a glimpse of the part women in the over-run countries of Europe are playing in maintninin" the national spirit of resistance. In some places they have enterer the ranks of the combatants. Recently some Russian women who hatl proved their ability ns snipers visited Britain and one went far js Hie United States. Women- have given magnificent service on tlie Russ '’‘ front especially in the medical and ambulance units. Within tlie las e weeks some overseas papers have had photographs of Russian women doctors attending to wounded men right in the front line. Y esterday a. message from southern Italy told of wounded women who had been to a hospital there from Dalmatia. They were casualties from the intense struggle that is now going on in that part of Europe. When the war b over there can be no doubt that a stirring story will he disclosed of tlie part women have played in the production and distribution of tlie sec t papers issued in practically every country now under (lie Nazi hcol. Ma y P boZ-already punished tell of their courageous work in of war and others to escape to neutral countries and their act it.es n helping British soldiers who were cut off from their units in France 1940 will make a great chapter.