SYNTHETIC FIBRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 May 1943, Page 3

SYNTHETIC FIBRE

INROADS INTO WOOL TRADE NEED OF TARIFF ADJUSTMENT. REMIT FOR PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE. A remit that the Government be asked to take off some of the tariff duty on manufactured woollen goods and put it on artificial woollen goods was unanimously carried at yesterday afternoon’s meeting in Masterton of the Wairarapa Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union. The remit will be sent on to the Farmers’ Union Provincial Conference at Palmerston North to be held at the end of the month. Mr lorns said that while in England a few years ago he had noted the increased inroads of synthetic wool into the wool trade and on his return he look the matter up with Mr Nash. Mr Nash said that it was not the time for tariffs. There was a tariff on manufactured woollen goods comm? into country, yet made up artificial wool-, len goods came into the country o" " free. Last year three times as much artificial wool was manufactured tnan the total of the New Zealand, Australian and South African clips. The inroad of artificial wool had grown to such an extent that a meeting had been called at Bradford to consider combating it. Artificial wool had come to stay and it was no use saying that it was not as good as wool. Unfortunately it was, and it even had a hollow fibre like wool. Most of the materials manufactured today were made from artificial wool and cotton. Mr lorns said the matter could be well discussed at the Palmerston North conference and he moved as a remit that the Government be asked to take off some of the duty on manufactured woollen goods and put it on artificial woollen goods. Mr lorns said he was not asking for the price of woollen goods to be increased but that the tariff should be adjusted. Mr Hugh Morrison (president) said that all would agree it was an important matter and one that could be dealt with at the conference. The remit was put to the meeting and carried.