WOOL INDUSTRY

Hokitika Guardian, 26 May 1933, Page 6

WOOL INDUSTRY

CONFERENCE AT PALMERSTON N. IMPROVING STANDARD AND PRODUCTION. (Per Press Association Copyright.) PALMERSTON NORTH. May 26. An inportant conference of wool interests was held this morning in con-; nection with the annual coiiierenfe of breeders, research workers, and Massey . College. The Minister' of Lands' (the Hon. E. A. Ransom), and the Minister of (Agriculture '(the Hon. O. E. Macmillan), were also present. A very lengthy statement, prepared by the committee which recently met the Prime. Minister at the college, wars presented to the meeting, covering the (accomplishments with regard to improving wool, and the objectives sought.

It was-made plain that until the parts played by production, hair , by heridity, soil and feed, climate, and nimination and constitution had been determined, by means of experiments both at the College aud in connection with farmers in different parts of the .country in such a way as to give the -farmer perfect confidence in the results, doubts, which, exist in the minds of many always will continue to act as a serious brake on improvement. The m.mility suggestion for the conference was summarised under seven paragraphs; viz., the appointment of a small permanent sub-committee to concentrate on ways and means of fostering an improvement in the quality of sheep, and wool; the committee to appoint two instructors ar, head manuateres at Massey College. to systematically tour the North Island giving lectures and demonstrations, that, with the aid of brokers and buyers, data on the advantages of various methods of preparing wool for marketing, may he collected, 'and widely circulated in order to clarify the situation and dispel doubts in the minds of many as to the value ot standardised scrub rams to, be eliminated hv the adopting of a scheme of. voluntary inspection and certification of a standard to be adopted by inspectors; stud flocks to he raised, and the system of inspection to he more efficient ; the organisation of .research in connection with sheep and wool to he considerably strc.no-theped in order that . investigation of more urgent problems play'.bq expedited; arrangements t-o be mh.de for the. publication at suitable . intervals -6f a 1 booklet, devoted to matter.? in connection with sheep and wool, which will be. distributed to'aU sheep farmeYs,

In subsequent discussion, when W. Ransom prosified, it \*hs. decided that definite action be takep. Al.qng. the lines of organising the industry-with the object of improving the .standard of crossbred wool, sheep, and breeding • establish a, research .fg.nd to he maintained by a small levy on production': 1 ■- Addressing the conference, ibe Minister of 'Lambs ; _expr.es.sed the sincere hope that farmers would recognise.-. own responsibilities. Be was attending at the special request ,of the Prime Minister, to carry on a.s far the work which the latter "had endeavoured to . inaugurate on his larst . yisit to the district. Whatever sound proposals were put forward would, receive.; 'the hearty support of the Government., “It js rather disappointing,- ’ he Wd. “to find throughout the Dominion the want for proper pa-sture management. The suggestion ha s been made .for a levy of threepence a We for TP” search work. I am satWied that this, would ‘bring a greatly increased return.. Irregularities of classing methods cause, serious losses.”, . '

The Minister advised that Japan would be e, large buyer at. the next, siales if proper shipping facilities were available, and the classification were improved’ The Minister saw no reason why the Dominion could rot be a stud raising country, not only for the Empire, but for the whole world. Careful study was required to bring benefits to. the Dominion. The Minister was a ,r o satisfied that, they would have to widen the market for wool* and he advocated the- appoint, ment at London of a direct representative of./the wool industry to keep in touch'with buvers, and ascertain thenveal rquiremeiits.