THE WOOL POSITION.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 November 1916, Page 6

THE WOOL POSITION.

HOME GOVERNMENT'S REPLY. Wellington, Nov. 17. The reply of the Imperial Board of Trade to the communication.? received from New Zealand regarding the wool purchase takes the form of an amended offer. The British authorities have not agreed to pay the increased price demanded by the wool growers and brokers at the conference. It is understood that they have not advanced their offer beyond the original proposal of a 45 per cent, increase on 1013-14 prices; but - they have amended the basis of the proposed payments, with the object of removing the inequalities that were stated to arise under the original scheme, owing to the fact that certain classes of wool, notably coarse cross breds, have shown a bigger advance in price, proportionately, than the finer qualities. The amended offer will be considered by the conference, and though the amount of money proposed to be paid tor the clip is not as large as it would have been if the conference's scale had ■ been accepted, there seems to be a likelihood that the new offer will bo accepted. The Government has not yet applied any pressure in connection with the scheme, but the delegates who have been representing the farmers in the course of the negotiations are aware that the Imperial authorities are in a position to insist upon a settlement. The wool can go nowhere but to the United Kingdom; it cannot be moved unless the London Tonnage Committee assists to provide ships, and every bale ran be commandeered on arrival at a British port. The wool-growers in the United Kingdom, it is pointed out, were not consulted at all about the disposal of their wool. The Government simply announced that the clip would be requisitioned under the Defence of the Realm Act, and that the prices would be according to a fixed scale. These prices are not as 'high as the prices that have been offered to the New Zealand growers. The export of wool from New Zealand is not to stop while the dis-, eussion is proceeding. Shipping spMft'' is available, and the Government liSl' announced, therefore, that the e;:r<vt of wool may continue, on the nd-i ing that all - consignments vm >■ -nb-1 I jfcy.; the (Mind it'""* r ' " " or ! I —-""oeru is Anally c- ,;