WOOL QUALITY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 30, 5 February 1932, Page 12

WOOL QUALITY

ALLEGED DETERIORATION

An interesting opinion on the condition of wool was given to the Dominion Executive of the New Zealand- Farmers' Union yesterday afternoon in a letter written by Mr. A. E. Mabin, president of the New Zealand Wool Brokers' Association. He stated:—

"In my opinion, wool shorn dry and in good condition does, not deteriorate. Healthy wool containing excessivo yolk is apt to look yellow and discoloured, but the yolk is a natural preservative, and the fibre not injured by age. On the other hand, wool showing any signs of dampness when shorn becomes discoloured, and more particularly if there is any seed, and it is questionable if it will scour white.

"As to alleged discrimination on the part of buyers, this is largely a question of supply and demand. For instance, the demand is running now on fine wools of over 48 Js counts. These wools, throughout the current season, have sold well and freely, and without discrimination whether old or new.

"Medium and coarse crossbreds are in another category. These are affected by the large South American clip, which has an> advantage of 25 per cent, over the Dominion in the exchange rate. Crossbreds under 48's quality are not so freely used for clothing purposes as fine wools, but find their uses in multitudinous trades which are deeply affected by the world's depression. They are in comparative heavy supply in London, South America, and the Dominion. The demand is weak; the supply is ample; buyers can pi" 1: and choose.

"Naturally, at the opening of the season buyers look for fresh wools for their principals. Unfortunately, at the first sale in Auckland, and, to a smaller extent in Wellington, the catalogues contained too large a proportion of old, inferior crossbreds. The old, shorn dry crossbreds sold all right, but, reviewing the lots "passed in," the cause could readily be seen. They consisted largely of inferior wools which were- selling badly last season, and are now looking less attractive with the market no better and the supply of inferior crossbreds greater.

"No buyer here or in London wishes to load his stock with inferior wools at the present juncture, but, with an improvement in world's conditions and in the demand, nothing more would be heard of deterioration, and inferior drossbreds would sell freely on a comparative basis."

The meeting carried the following remit: —"That the executive use every means to combat the propaganda regarding deterioration of stored wool, as the evidence wo have shows that no deterioration takes place." (Pelorus district.)