WELLINGTON NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 27 April 1929, Page 3

WELLINGTON NEWS

WOOL IX UNITED STATES

(Special Correspondent.)

AYELLINGTON, April 23

Towards the end of January, Dr S. W. McClur<\ ol Ifliss, Idaho, re ircsennig the National Woo I growers’ Association of America, before the Home of Representatives’ AY ays and Means Committee, which was then taking evidence in respect to tariff alteration, asked that the duty on lamb he increased I rom f to 7 cents to meet imnending competition from New Zealand. He also stated that the woolgr wers wanted a revision <"f the wool tariff. The Hoover Administration is now worrying over the tariff, hut in the end the American farmers will win out and our butter, frozen meat and wool will have further duties placed upon them. Even with the 4 cent duty on lamb wo have not been able to develop the American market, and there is little hope for our butter, on the contrary as the tariff will shut out Canadian butter the surplus from Canada will go to England. The American wool tariff lias boon high chough, sufficiently so to check invmrts of foreign woo' into the United 'States. That tariff has been effective in increasing the flocks of the United States, hut it is evident that tin* woolgrowers think Unit oven better results would b” achieved 1 v further raising the tariff.

According to a. report of the United States Department of Agriculture, wool shorn in the U.S. during 1928 totalled 299-11 JJUOIb compared with 281.8H,C09!!> in 1927. The figures inelude estimates of fall or autumn shorn wool in States where double shearing is practised. Pulled wool production, not included in the above, is estimated ol.900.00011) for 1928. compared with 0ft.100,0901b in 1927. Tim number of sheep shorn in 1928 is estimated at 0R. .994.000 against 30.070,099 in 1927. The average weight per fleece was 7.811 bin 1928 and 7.71 lb in 1927. It is officially stated that tin* production of wool in Canada during 1928 totalled 19.014,43011) against 15.072 7001 hin 1927. At a convention of the United States National AVoolgrowors’ Association recently. Mr J. F. Walker, consulting specialist in wool marketing of the United States Department of Agriculture, declared the United States to he one of the 'most backward countries iii the civilised world in its method of production and marketing. To bring American wool no to the standard of competitive wool he suggested an additional course in the leading agricultural colleges covering wool (hissing ami sheep brood-

in", which would aid the sheepman to produce, only tlie clas,s of shoe]) host adapted to his particular needs. A change in the methods of selling and the adoption of the auction system of Australia were also suggested as one means of accomplishing this end.

WOOLLEN INDUSTRY. Ono of the principal factors which made it difficult for British industry to compete successfully in foreign markets was that in Europe wages wore considerably below those of Oroat Britain, and longer hours were worked, hence the British woollen mannfncturors are seeking assistance from the Ministry, in the form of nrntoction. Dealing with this phase a.s applied to the woollen industry of Brent Britain, the Chairman of J. T. and J. Taylor, Ltd., which conducts a profit-sharing woollen company at Bat-iev. stated at the annual meeting '•'-M in February that British people bought articles produced abroad because they "ere better for the price or cheaper for the quality than the corresponding articles produced m Britain. That was, ho said, the very argument that safeguarded used in asking for protection. If we could not compete with foreign goods in our own market, he added, how could we compete with them when we tried to sell our goods abroad. The only way to regain foreign customers was to give better value lor money and by so doing the homo consumer would benefit, and export trade would be recovered. In that part of British trade which was for export safeguarding would not bring in a penny more, for British cloth, but would raise the. cost, to the consumer Turning to trade prospects for tin current year, the Chairman said that they did not appear to be bright, bid there were rather better signs. Cropof the world were unusually abundant last year, and when food was cheap people had more money to spend on other things. Unfortunately for woollen manufacturers people wore spending -money on motor cars, cinemas and gramophones which thov formerly spent on clothes, while tin wearing of knitted garments of arti licial silk, and above all, the loss amount of clothing worn by women continued to restrict the demand fot woven woollen goods.