WELLINGTON NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 1 February 1929, Page 2

WELLINGTON NEWS

WOOL AM) M FAT. (SjKJfiiil Correspondent.) WELLINGTON. January .‘SO. These two iinportnnt export products of the Domiirjon ciiine in lor discussion by mein hers of tbe Farmers’ Union, and as often happens very lew were conversant with the topic discussed. With respect to wool attention was directed to the early closing of the catalogues. The next Wellington sale is to he held on February 10th and yet the catalogue for this sale was closed about January 10th or more than a month in advance. I'he fault does not lie with the auctioneers or wool brokers nor yet can the Wool Committee he wholly to blame. This Committee which functions under the Hoard of Trade Act (that vicious piece of “ Heform” legislat ion) is authorised to place a limit on the quantity of wool to he offered at auction at any sale in any centre. The Committee, the members of which act voluntarily and without remuneration, have operated for three or fours years and have found Imm experience that it is only necessary to limit catalogues for the December, January and February sales, when the bulk of the clip is available, and the limit at most centres is 27,000 hales. Had climatic conditions not been adverse and shearing had proceeded normally, there would have been very little to worry over, hut shearing was retarded by weather conditions, and now there is an accumulation of wool. There is nothing to prevent the Wool Committee authorising an increase in the catalogues, hut if that were done it would he up against the buyers who have a very big say in the sales. The average lot must not he less than a certain number of hales, we believe it to he 7, and the catalogues contain a declaration as to the total number of bales in a lot, and at last Wellington sale Levin and Co’s catalogue contained two lots each of over 100 hales. If we assume that Ihe average price per hale at that sale was £22—it was really a little more—and that the sale of a lot takes up about 8 seconds,then in 1(5 seconds the two lots were sold and about £4400 was involved. The whole trouble with the marketing ol wool in New Zealand is that sales are held at too many centres. Take last month’s sale. On January i tli thor'• was a sale at Christchurch with a lull catalogue, five days later the buyers had to attend the sale at Wellington. That was held on Saturday, and on the following Frdiav there was a sale at Napier, then came Wanganui five days later on January 23rd with a Sunday and a holiday intervening, and from Wanganui they have lmd to rush oil to Invercargill for the sale on January Mist. The strain on the buyers by this continuous rushing from one centre to another must be tremendous. When they reach a selling centre they must go from store to store appraising the wool to be offered, that done they must sit on the benches for hours without allowing alertness to forsake them for a moment. W T heu the sale is over there are cable messages to he sent to principals, shipping instructions to he given and arrangements to lie made for paying for their purchases. Huyers work seven days a week and about 17 hours per day. Nowhere else are buyers subjected to such trying conditions and yet there are some farmers who are pressing for sales to he held in their district notwithstanding the difficulties of travel. There are far too many wool sales in New Zealand and it would be infinitely better for all concerned if the sales could he centred in four places, two in each island, and sales spread over three or four days. Concentration now would lie very difficult, for no centre would consent to be deprived ol its sales, and if any attempt were made many politicians would get their bristles up. With respect to 'frozen meat, the Meat Producers’ Hoard appears to have again merited the censure ol tanners who fail to remember that the Meat Hoard is to a large extent a political organisation and it has changed its policy with a change of Government. The story of the latest trouble lias been told previously. \ esteys own the meat works at Westfield. They were granted permission by the Hon. O. Hawkon when he was .Minister to make alterations to the ofLil Department hut not to increase the• killing accommodation lor which application was made. Now it is stated that killing capacity lias been increased and it is alleged that without Government authority. If this is so what is the Meat Hoard doing in the mat tor ! J Hut apart from this it seems a travesty of justice and fair play that a linn cannot make improvements to its works or increase the capacity without Government authority, who in this case is souk* uflieia! who may or may not know enough to come in out of the wet. The monopoly bogey is just a bogey and comes in handy tor political purposes.