It is a matter of common kno ledge that a certain amount of profiteering in the wool trade in England has been going on during the past few years, but probably comparatively few realize the extent to which this has been carried.
Soon after the war broke-out, the British Government undertook to purchase from Australia the whole of the wool clip at an average rate of 15} pence a pound for the unscoured variety, this being only a small advance on pre-war prices. The wool-exchanges of the Commonwealth were closed and prices of various grades of fleece were fixed by Government appraisers on such a basis that the average price worked out to the above amount (153d. a pound).
The wool-growers, partly with the idea of getting prompt payment for their crops, but mainly through patriotic motives (for there is no class of men more devoted to the Empire's interests than the Austra-lion and New Zealand wool-growers) readily agreed to this method and the whole scheme proceeded smooth-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.