COMMANDEERED WOOL.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 20 November 1916, Page 2

COMMANDEERED WOOL.

NEW ZEALAND PRICES.

THE CONFERENCE PROPOSALS. MORE SHIPS REQUIRED. WELLINGTON, Saturday. The woolgrowers' conference, convened by the Minister for Agriculture to consider the Imperial Government requisition of the New Zealand clip, completed all business to-day, and cables -have been sent to London, indicating the terms proposed by the New Zealand growers. They are based on the mean prices of 1916, which in ' January ranged as follows: Superior merino combings, 15d to 17 Id; medium to good ditto, 121 d to 1418; inferior merino, lid to 12d; superior half bred, 18 2-3 d to 21d; medium to good ditto, 16H to 18Sd; inferior, 13!d to 15M; superior crossbred, 18d to 19-jd; medium to good crossbred, 16d to 173 d; inferior, 12i>d to 15}d; Lincoln and Leicester. 15d to 17|d. These are high prices as a basis of payment for the coming clip compared with those before the war, but tkey were considered by the conference not unreasonable, as, during the high price of wool in 1916, the price of sheep rose correspondingly, sheep worth 14s in 1915 fetching double and up to 30s. Stocking has, consequently, been more expensive, land hals increased in price, and taxation has gone up. All these matters were taken into consideration.

Speaking of the conference results to your correspondent, the'Hon. W. T 5. S. MacDonald stated that, on the •whole, although there were some differences between the offer of the farmers and the Imperial Government proposals for purchasing the clip, chere is not a great disparity. 'The farmers in conference," he continued, "gave the matter very care ul consideration, and showed a desire co meet the Imperial Government. We expect a reply to their proposals on Friday or Saturday." Freezing companies to-day discussed .he nrice of slips wools. After going .nto the whole details they, elected a .omruittee to work out a proposal accepting the Imperial offer for fleece wool, pieces, and lambs' wool on a price based on the farmers' proposals. vVhen the Imperial reply to the latter •s received the committee will submit prices for slip wool tor the season. They are of opinion that the final valuation of clip wool will have to he completed in London, as insufficient of this class of wool is sold in New Zealand to afford a fair basis of adjustment.

•'Farmers," added the Minister, "have been hurried over -holding the

conference. Had more time been available, they would probably have submitted their scheme in a more . comprehensive form. The difficulty was due to the late decision of the Imperial Government to requisition the clip. The shearing season being well advanced, wocl is now being dumped at ports, where ships are awaiting cargo." Thus the Minister had no option but to hurry the conference, so as to take advantage of all shipping space available, though for the next tw,o or three months it will apparently be insufficient. This point is being presented urgently to Mr. Massev by'l I cable. | SHIPPING SPACE INSUFFICIENT, j The Government is also asking that I more refrigerated space be granted j during the next two months. The | farmers showed no opposition to the j proposals in conference, and they hope ] that, after their offer has been accept- j ed by the Imperial authorities, any anomalies or discrepancies which may j arise will be adjusted. In addition to wooigrowers, there was a conference of wool brokers, buy ! ers, and mercantile (inns interested in wool. They prepared a scheme un- j der which the wool will be handled for the Imperial Government, all arrangements for delivery, lotting, \

weighing, valuing, bills of lading and shipment, will be conducted here through the- usual channels. These suggestions arc very helpful, and show that the whole business, in the event of the requisition, can be handled without dislocation of the present channels of industry. POSITION OF WORKERS. The Minister's attention was drawn to the Christchurch fellmongers' anxiety regarding possible loss of employment. He replied that in the event of the offer being accepted, he hoped to see the whole of the fellmongery and wool scouring industries maintained, as at present the meat purchase scheme is also a subject of interesting development. STORAGE CHARGES REDUCED. The only remaining point in dispute, storage charges, is being settled. The Board of Trade had requested a reduc tion on the scale charged during the last eighteen months, and the freeing companies" committee decided to agree to the Imperial Government's proposal for a 25 per cent reduction on rto-a:?e charges for the whole of the frozen meat output.

A Napier girl whose brother is on , active service has consented te> a reI quest from local residents to take up I her brother's former business, that of I a taxi-driver, and will commence a i taxi-service at once. i J The Hen. G. W. Russell has stated he will hold a Ministerial conference , regarding the encouragement of scientific research in connection with the proposals put forward by the New Zealand Institute. Another scheme is the publication of a quarterly Journal of Science devoted to the scientific knowledge of the Dominion. An officer who was wounded on the second day of the Somme advance, writing to a friend, says: "How I am here alive to tell the, tale, God only knows. To say that it > was hell is only putting it mildly. However, you won't care to hear about that side of the story. £'y jove, give me the New Zealanders when there is a bit of scrapping and bayonet work to be done. It was great to sec- the way they went through Fritz's trenches — four of them. There was no 'beg pardons.' and our chaps left each trench strewn with dead. Prisoners were numerous, and it was fun to see the Bosches putting up their hands and saying 'Mercy, kamarad!' We had heard so much about that, but it is really funny when you see it."