DISTRICT NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3573, 8 September 1920, Page 5

DISTRICT NEWS.

OHUTU NOTES. (From Our Own Correspondent.) On Friday evening there was a good attendance at the school, it being the ■wind up of our social evenings for the season, and the presentation of the prizes for the most points scored during the season. The' first prize for the'ladies was presented by Mrs. Belk and was won by Mrs. Taylor, and was a beautiful silver cake dish. The first for gents was presented by Messrs. Boss Brothers, of Utiku, and was won by Mr. Taylor, and was a very nice pair of pipes in a case. The second prize for the ladies was presented by Mr. Goldsbury, of Utiku, and was a very nice hair brush, which was w r on iby Mrs. ..Kerning*. The second prize fox gents was also presented by Mr. Qoldsbury, and was a nice pocket wah let, which was won by Mr. Stevens. other items of the evening were: — A quartette by 'Miss Meads (piano), Messrs. Griffith. Thomasen, and Ashton (violin); song, Mrs. Campbell; pianoforte solo, Mrs. Linton; song, Mr. Thomasen :recitation, Mr. McGrath; song, Mr. Gumming; The Ohutu Orchestra, several selections in good style; song, Mr. Bailey; violin solo, Mr. Griffith; recitation, Mr. P. Phillips; every item ion the programme being encored, Mr. McGrath having to respond a third time. Mr. Be-k, on behalf of- the school Committee, thanked the people for the way they had come forth in all sorts of weather to help us raise the money needed. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the secretaries, and then supper brought a very pleasant evening to a close. THE WOOL MARKET. SCOURED OR UNSCOURED? THE POSITION IN ENGLAND. SCOURED WOOL NOT WANTED. Received 9.20 a m. LONDON, Sept. 7. It is anticipated that the audit of surplus wool profits for the year ended March 31st, 1920,'wi1l be completed before the end of the year. The profits will probably be double those of the previous year. Received 9.50 a.m. LONDON, Sept. 7. The wool situation was discussed by Mr Goldfinch, director of raw materials, in an interview. Re saifi the situation had reached a point within the last twenty-four hours which justified him in saying that he could hot take part in any further controversy, but would merely proceed quietly, realising on the balance of Imperial wool as fast as shipping is available or the market can absorb fE. Anglo-Australian business was now closed, so far as the Imperial Government was concerned, except for the transportation and realisation of unshipped stocks in Australia and unsold stocks in England, aggregating over three million bales. He had informed the Australian Wool Committee that he was already overstocked with scoured, and that prices were depreciating. He had protested against the continued scouring of Australian stocks because the schedule of values for scoured in England was relatively lower than for greasy. He had been unable to extract from anybody in Australia what was really warded. Did. they want to rip open unS,3|jjped bales to have them scoured for the purpose of finding occupation for scouring establishments? If so, it would mean a material loss on realisation in England, with a corresponding diminution of surplus profits which the growers now shared with the Imperial Government. For Australians to employ scourers to depreciate wool for ulterior purposes was an act of madness, and rather than become a party to such an uc-'

economic aberration he would sooner band over to them a lump sum equivalent to the cost of scouring, provided they would leave the wool unscoured; because he could reimburse hynself from the increased realisation. Asked , what he propose??, Mr Goldfinch replied that he wanted wool sent in the same proportions of scoured and unscoured as formerly—-under commercial conditions mid not complicated by political or other extraneous considerations. He admitted having, during the war, requested increased scouring, even if a loss resulted, because of the reduction of deadweight, when transport was of greater importance than wool profits; but 'with a return of comparative normality it was necessary to revert to normal commercial conditions as far as transport and the marketing of the balance of Imperial wool was concerned. He warned wool-growe'rs that if they insisted on scoured wool in undue proportion for the forthcoming sales, buying orders would be to a large extent cancelled. Mr McGregor, Victorian Trade Commissioner, after visiting Bradford, states that Bradford is not hostile to Australian scouring, but experience had disclosed distinctly inferior spinning qualities, not because the wool was scoured in Australia, but because, owing to its peculiar properties, it should be kept greasy as long as possible, as grease continued feeding the wool. Australian scoured usually retreated in England. t i- in -i ■ ii aiiim wiiii