OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 829, 30 May 1910, Page 4

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

THE BUSINESS OF WOOLCOMBING.

{From Our Spccial Correspondent.! Bradford, April 15, 1910. Wooloombing is to-day a'large business, and inseparable from tho wool trade. The latter could never have assumed it's present dimensions, or been half so successful if wooleoinbing bad not been known, but the more one thinks of how one dovetails into the other the more astounding do things become. One gets so accustomed to speaking about tho woollen trade that they forget tho important part wooleoinbing plays in the wool industry, and without doubt this launch stands paramount. Woolcombing dates back to the very earliest of days, and yet wool-carding, out of which are made woollen fabrics, is a long way the oldest industry. I make mention of these facts because at present the wooL_trado is confronted with a new scale for combing, which naturally is not liked. At the same time it is surprising tho few complaints that have Ijcon heard over tho increased charges. The most grumbling lias been about various firms comprising a syndicate known us Woolcombers, Ltd., having intimated that the new scale will come into operation on May 1, tho general feeling being that August 1 was soon enough. The increased charges for woolcombing aro tho direct outcome of the increased prices of materials, such articles as soap, oil, leather, otc., all having advanced considerably, but what has brought things to a head is tho advance of fid. and Is. in wages to the woolcombing operatives—an advance which nobody has found fault over. Before dealing with this latter side of the question, I will set forth tho proposed new scale, and also show the charges under the old scale:—

NEW COMBING TAIUFF AS FROM MAY 1, 1910. MERINOS. (All above 56's quality.) New Scale. Per lb. d. Tearing 5 to 1 and over Tearing 4 and under 5 to 1 Tearing 3 and under 4 to 1" 23 Tearing 2 and under 3 to 1 3 Tearing under 2 to 1 35 Uurring 4 extra Gilling in ... i extra CARDING OROSSBREDS. 56's :.. lg Ilurring a extra Gilling in ... I extra Tearing 7 to 1 and over 13 Tearing under 7 to 1 . Ig ' TJurring h ertra Gilling in ... i extra 30's to «i 6's ' Tearing 6. to 1 and over U Tearing under 8 to 1 IS Burring A extra Gilling in .. . I extra PREPARING. 52's, 36's, 40's U Over 40*s li Slipe and skin wools h extra flurry and seedy wool i extra Gilling in J extra Scouring wools (per lb. of washed wool) 3 All previous lists and arrangements cancelled.

A (STEADY BUSINESS PASSING. There is not' much new to say in connection with tho wool trade, all the i sound features noted ill our past reports continuing. More business could be done if spinners and manufacturers were not so well bought, but it is evident that in tho majority of eases they are covered for litany months to come, and are content to tal;o in deliveries in preference to buying further ahead. There is no question-of doubt about .merinos being high and dear, and yet nobody anticipates or can see tho least sign of lower prices. The question of supplies is still absorbing a lot of attention, and there is not too much fino wool in prospect to cause any uneasiness about rates. Plenty aro saying' that it will not be long before we see super. CO's tops at hiilf-a-crown,. and that wo aro going to have a higher rango of values than we have seen since 1899. Tho recollection of what then took place makes one shudder, and it is to be hoped that we are not going to see a reputation of the disastrous consequence which followed that boom. There certainly is a feeling abroad of cautiousness which cannot but chock any tendency towards boom prices, and nobody is so foolish as to adopt a policy of pure speculation. Wliero men havo bought forward it is to cover the business they have, and values to a very largo extent are resting upon a legitimate consumptive basis. Merinos are still the loading article of commerce, and 0110 cannot but regret that coarse and. medium crossbrcds aro not sharing sonic of the activity and buoyancy of merinos. It remains to be seen if tho strong position of line wools can influence crossbrcds, and there is 110 doubt that the lack of confidence in 36's to 10's is in a large measuro the real cause of these wools being slow and inactive. Prices for merinos are still tending upwards, and Gl's tops are to-day being generally quoted at 2s. sd. Fine crossbreds are selling fairly well, and a by no mean? unprofitable time is being experienced by top-makers.. Business is good all round, and there is plenty of spinning being done both in 50's and~sG's. Coarso qualities still hang fire, and nothing better can be reported. It is quite true that here and there a fraction' less would bo taken for both 36's and 40's, tho quotations of top-makers being more or less nominal. Mohair is slow and prices are just about steady, although a liand-to-mouth' business is passing. Without saying one word in disparagement of tho woolcombing industry, .it has been an acknowledged fact for years that the operatives have been 'very poorly paid, and both in public and private much has been said about the pov-erty-stricken returns which workpeople have received.. It should be borne in mind that tlio various operations connected with the trade havo to bo performed in rooms heated anywhere from SO to 100 degrees, the work being trving and somewhat exhausting, more on" account of tho heat than any physical or manual operation. A few years back, quiio a stir was created in the West Riding over a series of articles given to a London magazine on "The White Slaves of England," the woolcombing industry coming in for a fair share of attention. Just to give readors a fair idea of what is paid woolcombing operatives, I quoto from the issue of the "Factory Times," of January 8, 1897, a table of wages obtaining in one of tho best firms in Bradford. The special commissioner of the paper stated emphatically that "it is by no means an average one," and since then Gd. U> Is. increase will cover any improvement that has taken place, with' the exception of the advance .just given:—

TABLE OP WAGES. Washhonse (men only) during the night:— £ s. d. Bowl minders, 3 bowls 12 0 Bowl minders, feeders 18 0 During the day:— Bowl minders, 3 bowls 10 0 Bowl minders, feeders U 0 Strippers and grinders (men, each of whom has to attend 12. cards. and 2 grinders), jobbers: Men, night £1 2s. for 11 Botany cards or G English; day turn .£1 for tho same quantity of machinery. Card feeders, by hopper and hand (men) 18s. for G cards at night; (women) 12s. for.G cards at day. Back-end minders by balling head or coiler cans: Men, at night 19s. for G English cards, and 18s. for 11 Botany; women', day, 12s. for 6 English cards, and 12s. for 11 Botany. Burr takers-out (men) ISs. for 11 cards at night, and lis. for 11 cards at day. Shoddy willoyers (men) 18s.

Wool runners (men) XI for 11 cards at night; 18s. for 11 cards at day. Backwash minders, and nninber of backwashers each person has to attend to: Men ail for 1 backwash and strone box (night); 12s. ditto (day). Finishing box minders, men (night):— £ s. (!. English (t boxes) l!) o Medium (1 -boxes) 18 0 AVomcn, day, English (4 boxes) 12 0 Women, day, medium (2 boxes) 12 0 Comb minders, men, night, English (tor 2 combs) 13 0 Medium 12 0 Botany 4A"Y."; ;y 10 0 Women, day, English (for 2 combs) 14 0 Women, day, medium 12 G

;C B. d. Women, day, Botany 12 6 Strong giil box minders, men, night. Botany (for 2 boxes) , 18 0 Medium. 18 0 English (for 4 boxes) 13 0 Women, day, English 12 0 Women, day, Botany 12 0 Jtaking-up Box minders, men, night 18 0 Making-up Box minders, women, day 12 0 Men jobbers, night, English 16 0 Men jobbers, night, Botauy 14 0 Men jobbers, day, English 10 0 Men jobbers, day, Botany 10 0 One man taking noils and cans out of 4 combs 10 0