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Taranaki Daily News, 11 December 1922, Page 8

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GENERALLY WELCOMED. “COMMERCIAL FAIRY TALES.” By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. London, Dec. 8. The Bawra’s decision is welcomed in wool circles and the Australian pastoral and financial companies, which are generally of opinion that Bawra, having fulfilled the functions for which it was formed, there is no use in maintaining it. One leading wool merchant said:— “There is a feeling of relief in Bradford, where Bawra 'was regarded as a monopoly favouring growers rather than the interests of the trade, consequently there was an unreasoning and perhaps unjustifiable prejudice against Bawra. But it is admitted that Bawra carried out the policy of limiting supplies according to the needs of the trade in a most satisfactory and considerate man ner. ’

Sir A. Goldfinch stated that he was personally glad at the shareholders’ decision.

Under head lines “The Doom of Bawra,” ‘‘Sir John Higgins’ Fairy Tales,” the Yorkshire Post says: “A decision was reached after tile meeting had listened to the voice of the charmer, Sir John Higgins, who delivered another speech which firmly established his reputation for 'fantastic conceptions in the form of commercial fairy tales. Sir John Higgins and those acting with him have been compelled to disclose what undoubtedly has been the real motive .behind all they had done. From the commencement they thought they I would be able to permanently fix Bawra. or a similar association, 'between the Australian wool growers and the wool buyers and users, to exercise the function of regulating supplies and prices. The scheme Sir John Higgins placed before the meeting causes one to review in a severely sarcastic frame of mind, some of the assurances given to wool buyers and users during the past two years, about. Bawrafls purpose bfiing only to realise the “carry over” wool, and that the directors desired to do that as speedily as .possible. Those concerned in our wool trade and textile industries are thankful that the wool growers so pronouncedly voted in favor of the buying and celling of wool being allowed to revert to pre-war methods, and that values should be decided by the law of supply and demand, uninfluenced by artificial factors, such as an entirely unnecessary assocation acting as middleman and controller.” Bir John Higgins’ suggestions regarding the reconditioning and appraisement made one wonder if he knows anything at all of the wool trade and textile industry, however much he may know of the business O’f wool-growing.’ The Yorkshire Observer says: “One after another, various schemes for the control of the wool industry have died a natural death, because nobody really wanted them except their promoters, i Now Bawra, the last phase of control, j has heard its death knell. There has I been no sympathy on this side for Sir John Higgins in his various attempts to make Bawra a permanent body. His special pleading'became almost ludicrous. So far as this country is concerned, it is doubtful whether a dozen people could be found to support a continuance of Bawra, and Australia, which is regardid as Bawra’s stronghold, mustered a beggarly 15 supporters 'for Sir John Higgins out of 800. These figures tend to confirm the idea, that the agitation for the retention of Bawra originated with and has been fostered by specially interested parties. There are now under a million bales in Bawra’s hands. When this is disposed of the association will quickly cease to exist. Everybody concerned*. except Sir John Higgins and his handful of supporters,, will welcome the 'when ore:war methods of supply to manufacturers and distribution is restored free and unfettered.”