My dear Prime Minister,

BUSINESS MISSION TO AUSTRALIA

On Monday Sir James Cooper [1] informed me that representatives of
the British Wool Federation, including Harry Dawson [2] and
several other past Presidents of the Federation, had discussed
with him the composition of the Business Mission to Australia.

They expressed great disappointment that no one competent to
express the views of the British wool industry would be
accompanying the delegation. The main point that they made was
this, that with the growing utilisation of artificial silk it was
a matter of fundamental importance to Australia and to Yorkshire
that Australia should concentrate on the production of a larger
volume of the finest types of wool. In their opinion, there would
be an expanding market for fine wools, but a contraction of world
demand for cross-breds and for coarser types of Merino.

They further stated that during the last few years there had been
a growing spirit of misunderstanding between the Australian
pastoralists and Yorkshire. The Australian pastoralists felt that
Yorkshire was continually trying to 'crab' Australian wool, but in
reality the position was that Yorkshire felt that Australia was
paying too little attention to increasing the quantity of really
first-class wool, and allowing other countries to get ahead of
her.

They suggested that there should be a fifth member of the Business
Mission who should be someone from the West Riding. They told
Cooper that no difficulties in regard to finance need arise.

Cooper was distinctly impressed with what they said, and asked me
whether I would let him know what would be the best way of raising
the subject. I said that I would see Lord Lovat [3] and discuss
the matter with him. Yesterday I saw Lord Lovat and he told me
that it had been clearly understood from the commencement that no
sectional interest ought to be represented in the Business
Mission. He therefore felt that all he could himself arrange would
be that the West Riding interest should have the fullest
opportunity of discussing their point of view with the Mission
before it sailed.

Lovat went on to say that if you regarded the inclusion of a fifth
man from Yorkshire as being desirable, the British Government
would of course be willing to agree.

I have therefore told Cooper that (a) Lord Lovat will arrange for
the Yorkshire people to have a full discussion with the Business
Mission, and (b) that if they desire to press for the inclusion of
someone representing their point of view in the Business Mission,
their best course would be to communicate with you, either
directly or through the medium of Sir James Cooper. I have
suggested to Cooper that as there are five months to elapse before
the Business Mission sails, a letter to you asking for a cabled
reply would be quite a satisfactory way of raising the question.

Lovat took the opportunity of my calling on him on this subject to
discuss with me at some length the arrangements which he was
proposing to make in order to enable the mission to go to
Australia fully acquainted with the point of view in this country.

He also explained that he was extremely anxious that they should
obtain all the information possible about Australia before they
left. Two Secretaries have been appointed, both of whom are
intelligent though junior, Civil Servants, one being one of
Cunliffe-Lister' [4] private secretaries, and the other Lovat's
present private secretary. [5]

Lovat has asked me to co-operate with Sir Ernest Clark [6] in what
might be described as the preliminary stages of the Mission's
education.

Yours sincerely,
F. L. MCDOUGALL