17

H.—3B

displaying, and countermarking in accordance with the instructions issued by the Government, and their remuneration for this service was fixed at per pound of wool for all wool purchased through the agency of these brokers in pursuance of the scheme. An additional allowance of 6d. per bale was made to brokers to cover the cost of preparation of shipping documents. The wool - broker was required to provide storage free of charge for the wool for a period of twenty-eight days after the date of valuation, and on the expiration of that period storage was paid by the Department of Imperial Government Supplies at the rate of 4d. per bale per week or portion thereof for the months of October to April inclusive, and at the rate of 2|d. per bale per week or portion thereof for the months of May to September me usive in any year. The Government also accepted liability for freight, stamp duty on bills of lading, and all wharfage, lighterage, and railway charges from the store to the carrying steamer where such were incurred. Valuation. The services of the overseas buyers and others as valuers utilized for the valuation of the previous clips were, with some alteration in personnel, retained for the valuation of the 1918-19 clip; and the remuneration for their services was fixed at £45,000 plus actual locomotion expenses; and £1,500 for clerical assistance and office accommodation, and a further £1,500 for additional, expenses in valuing freezing-works slipe wool. In addition to valuing the greasy clip and slipe wool produced at freezing-works, all scoured and slipe wool produced at wool-scouring and fellmongery works is valued as required without extra remuneration. Valuations have been carried out with a minimum of friction and with general satisfaction to growers, the number of appeals against valuations being infinitesimal in proportion to the number of lots valued. Wool bought and shipped. Since the commencement of the requisition the following quantities of wool have been disposed of as under : — Total number of bales valued (as per valuation certificates received) 1,531,473 Number of bales lost in transit .. .. .. .. 9,668 Number of bales arrived at destination (in 1.16 steamers) .. .. 566,502 Number of bales en route to Great Britain (in 20 steamers) . . 128,997 Number of bales shipped on account of other Governments .. 115,318 Number of bales of greasy wool available for shipment, or scouring, or delivered to scourers .. .. .. .. .. 710,988 1,531,473 Number of bales of greasy wool delivered to scourers for treatment. . 233,451 Number of bales of scoured wool shipped .. .. .. 121,994 Number of bales of scoured wool available for shipment .. .. 84,306 Total number of bales paid for.. .. .. .. .. 1,518,591 For the 1,518,591 bales of wool paid for as mentioned above, the sum of £36,814,755 has been disbursed. The wool-valuing centres under the scheme were : Auckland, Tokomaru Bay, Tolaga Bay, Gisborne, Napier, Waitara, Wanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Blenheim, Christchurch, Dunedin, Timaru, Oamaru, Invercargill. Wool for other Governments. Acting under instructions from the Imperial Government, the following wool has been selected for other Governments during the past year : — From the 1917-18 clip :— For France .. .. .. .. .. 24,152 bales. For United States of America . . . . . . 20,676 ~ From the 1918-19 clip :— For France .. .. . . . . .. 24,446 „ For United States of America . . . . 59,635 ~ For Canada .. .. .. .. 3,875 „

3—H. 38.