H.—3B

3

The balance of 54,895 bales held awaiting shipment at 30th June, 1922, comprised the following qualities : —

New Zealand Wool Committee. As the result of a recommendation by the Producers' Committee, it was decided that, in view of the state of the wool industry in 1921, it was very desirable that the woolgrowers of New Zealand should fully co-operate with the British Australian Wool Realisation Association (Limited), and the woolgrowers of Australia, in regard to fixed reserves and limitation of wool offerings. For this purpose the Wool Industry Regulations were gazetted on the 24th June, 1921, and were administered by a Committee appointed by the Government, and known as the New Zealand Wool Committee. The Committee, comprised Messrs. W. S. Bennett, O. Hawken, T. R. Lees (Chairman), A. E. Mabin, and L. A. Rutherford. This Committee, which was in constant touch with the British Australian Wool Realisation Association, prepared schedules of minimum. reserve prices, issued permits for export, allocated the quantities of wool to be offered at the local sales, and handled other matters incidental to the well-being of the wool industry. The clerical work connected with the functions of the Committee as outlined herein, together with the collection of statistics relating to the production and sales of wool, was carried out by this Department. I quote hereunder extracts from a report made to you by the Committee, covering the period Ist October, 1921, to 31st March, 1922 ; where necessary the figures used have been brought up to the present date — namely, 30th June, 1922 :— The Committee has to record a gradual rise in prices for all classes of wool during the six months, together with, a very satisfactory clearance of stocks in New Zealand. The prices for medium and low crossbred wools arc still below the cost of production, but the keen demand for all classes of wool, and the rapidity with which same have gone into consumption during the period under review, justifies the strong belief that producers can safely look forward to a return to payable prices in the very near future. The system of registration under which woolbrokcrs, banks, and wool-exporters gave written undertakings, enforcible by bond if required, not to dispose of wool at prices below the minimum prices fixed by the Committee has been continued throughout this season, but from December onward the prices at which, wool was saleable have been substantially higher than the very low fixed prices, and it will be unnecessary to continue the system next season. The following are the sales which have been held since the Ist October, and the results :—

i Sales. Merino .. 8 Halfbred 50/56's to 58's .. 1,208 Fine crossbred 46/48's to 50's ,,. 5,914 Medium crossbred 40/44's to 46's 28,011 Doarse crossbred 36's to 40's .. ■ 1,883 Grand totals ... 37,024 Greasy. Bales. Stationscoured. Station Slipe. ' Bales. 1 10 13 3 9 mentscoured. Bales. 2 4 587 4,595 69 Govern- „ ment ' F ™. ezeI Slipe. | Sh P e - Bales. Bales. 17 46 444 1,001 4,470 2,627 2,415 ; 742 726 Total. Bales. 28 1,741 12,017 37,679 3,430 29 32 28 1 90 36 5,257 4,433 8,055 54,895

Date of Sale. Centre. Offered. Sold. Average Price per Bale. Average Price per Pound. 1921. ictobor 14 „ 18 „ 20 Wellington Auckland Wanganui Auckland Wellington Napier Christchurch Dunedin . . Bales. 7,167 5,085 4,032 8,749 15,491 15,966 20,352 10,904 Bales. 6,969 4.558 3,611 6,783 13,433 14,097 18.227 10,302 £ s. d. 7 2 5 6 17 6 6 10 3 6 8 8 8 3 7 6 15 4 9 14 11 9 17 5 d. 4-55 4-45 4-21 •: 4-35 4-95 4-47 6-92 6-90 lecember 5 „ .. 9. .. .. 13 ,16 21