THE WOOL OUTPUT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 62, 12 November 1915, Page 4

THE WOOL OUTPUT.

According to the Otago Daily Times a rumor \va.s eurrent in Dunedin on Tuesday to the effect that tDo Government had decided to commandeer the New Zealand output of crossbred wool for the season, hut inquiries by a' Daily Times reporter failed to elicit any information that would go to prove that there was any foundation for the rumor, A member of one mercantile linn stated, however, that be had heard that there was a likelihood of the Government requisitioning a proportion of the make of the Dominion woollen mills, but that he could not vouch • for the accuracy i ol the statement. A director of a well-known woollen mill gave it as his opinion that, if the Government did commandeer the wool output, it would be a step in the right direction ; otherwise the people here would shortly be called upon to pay a very much enhanced price for their clothing. He said ho could not see any difficulties in the way of fixing prices, as a complete return of the prices obtained by growers last year could easily be seemed, and this return could be used

hy the Government as a basis on which to fix the prices to. be paid this year. A grower, on the other hand, sjjiid he could not see how the Government would be able to deal with tire purchase of the wool clip of the Dominion, and it would be a very difficult task, as there were such a lot of qualities, indeed, to class the wool to enable the differential prices to ho arranged. It appears that high prices are [likely to rule this season for wool, as'it is reported that American buyers are already very busy securing lines. One well-known Otago innholder has. at this early stage, sold his crossbred clip to an American buyer at Is od a lb, and the standard thus set will no doubt he well maintained. It is further reported that Japanese buyers are also operating in the wool market of the Dominion.