WOOL COUNCIL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10272, 6 May 1919, Page 5

WOOL COUNCIL

STATEMENT BY SIR ARTHUR GOLDFINCH. Atutralian and N.Z. Cable Association LONDON, May 3. Sir Arthur Goldfinch, at a meeting of the Wool Council, remarked that there was a regrettable disparity at the April sales in London between the ruling prices and the Government issue prices, the latter being so much lower. It was difficult to satisfy largo applications for direct issue of supplies and to find ah equitable basis of distribution of the quantities of wool available. But the difficulties will rapidly disappear, for the arrivals to April 21fit are 315,000 bales merino, 383,000 crossbred, and 104,000 hales of other wools. Subsequent cargoes brought to the United Kingdom a total import for the four months of 1,017,666 bales. It was safer, however, to reckon the arrivals at 950,000, which would be fully equal to tlio 1915 record figures. Shipments afloat totalled 460,000 bales; whereof 217,000 were merino. Shipping arrangements are now working freely, and there is every reason to expect that 3,000,000 bales will arrive in 1019. This would be considerably in excess of domestic requirements. The Allied restrictions placed on imports by neutral countries bordering Germany were now removed. There was complete free trad© re-established. Regarding the export of finished woollen textiles to Denmark, Holland, and Switzerland, specific guarantees would bo required against re-export to Germany from Norway and Sweden. Tho snmo facilities for exporting yarn, tops, and wool could be granted by Groat Britain, subject to license, which was imposed solely for the protection of British manufacturers.