COMMERCIAL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20112, 5 December 1939, Page 8

COMMERCIAL

AUSTRALIAN WOOL CLIP NEARLY 600 APPRAISERS The Australian Minister for Commerce, Senator McLeay, said in the Senate last week that 577 wool appraisers had been appointed. Of these 509 were British, 47 French, nine Belgian, and 12 Japanese. Senator McLeay, in answer to questions, said that it was impossible to say at present whether additional appointments would be made. Half of any profit made by Britain in reselling Australian wool would come to Australia. By the end of the current half-year wool appraisements in Australia will total 1,440,000 bales, that figure equalling the maximum quantity arranged to be offered at auction at the conference last June. The time lost because of the absence of sales in September therefore will be fully recovered, Winchcomlbe, Carson, Limited reports. On the basis at which the whole Australian clip has been sold every effort was made by the expert committee which arranged the table of prices to do justice to all classes of the staple. Varying opinions may be held as to the decision reached, but the fact remains that the committee was an impartial body. Its concern was fair treatment to all sheep-owners at the average price paid by the British Government. It was not interested in the resale of wool to any country." The wool is the property of the British Government once it is appraised. New South Wales continues to show a remarkable increase in the quantity of wool shorn. Up to November IG, 980,178 bales had arrived in Sydney, an increase of 24 per cent compared with the similar period of 1938. Apart from the price received the greater production has contributed to improved monetary returns for growers.