"DRAFT" ON WOOL.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 February 1920, Page 4

"DRAFT" ON WOOL.

The question of the abolition of tlie draft charge exacted by Home woolbrokers in connection with the sale of wool, is reaching an acute stage. It is one of those old trade customs that take a great deal of pressure to stamp out, and may have had some justification when weighing was somewhat erratic, but in the present day there is neither excuse nor justification for what can only be> regarded as an intolerable imposition on the producers. Assuming that the Australian and New Zealand output of wool amounts to 2,488,862 bales (an approximate estimate), giving a total weight of 7,466,386 cwts., and that the brokers appropriate for "draft" one pound weight out of every cwt., the producers lose, on the pre-war average price of Is 3d per lb., £466,661, but on the current average under the commandeer prices the loss would be £723,325, while the added value of' the half share of the profits mr.de by the British Government would still further increase that loss. It is not surprising that Uie growers strongly protest against the continuance of this pernicious "perquisite" of one pound per cwt. on all wool purchased. The remedy is in their own hands, and they have no one to blame but themselves for submitting so long to the imposition. It 13 hardly likely that verbal or documentary protests will prove of any avail. What is needed is a solid combination of the producers in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, properly organised on a co-operative basis, so that they will be in a position ■to market their own produce without the intervention of London, Bradford or other British brokers, thus obtaining the full value of their goods. Apparently the time has arrived to make a break in the method of marketing and distributing the products of the Dominions, and it would seem advisable to take concerted action on business lines, not only with regard to wool, but as to all produce. There must, however, be no half-heartedness over the matter. It would be a great undertaking, but the interests represented are so large, and the money that could be saved so gr.>at, that the inducement to co-operate should appeal with telling fores to the producers of all the Dominions. The present is a favorable opportunity for launching a scheme for the elimination of t'ne middleman, and, if it is not availed of. those interested must continue to be deprived of an appreciable proportion of their profits.