NEW ZEALAND'S WOOL SHORTAGE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1123, 10 May 1911, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND'S WOOL SHORTAGE.

A DECREASE OF ,£350,000. An article appeared in these columns yesterday which showed that tho exports \ of wool from New Zealand during the ten months ended April 30 wero iess by 28,245 bales than the quantity sent away in the similar ten months period of the previous season. - T.lie extent of the decrease is more striking in the form of what it represents in money, and as wool was worth on an average about ,£l2 10s. a bale this season, the loss may be sec down at <£350,000 lor the ten months. Several Wellington authorities on wool matters were interviewed ■ yesterday on the subject, and asked particularly as to the cause of the decrease in production. "There is a general shortage," said one broker's representative. "There is a decrease of 15,000 bales in Hawko's Bay alone. The shrinkage is not so heavy in the Wellington province, but, nevertheless/ there is a considerable falling- , ~ I' l *' 1B South Island, also, the production has decreased. It is very hard te get at the reason; the decrease may be due to half-a-dozen things. The season probably has had something to do with it. Some stations shove less young lambs than they did last year, but why l could not say. The fleeces are lighter this year than they were last season." It was pointed out to the broker that besides the export figures showing a decrease, tho offerings at the New Zealand ■ tales were 31,375 bales fewer than last year's offerings, and the quantity sold 4G.942 bales less than the amount dis- . posed of at the I'JOO-IO sales. He said , that low prices this season had caused a good many growers'to ship to London an their own account. From one sale this tivin withdrew 1000 bales . because the prices offered were not' considered high ' Bnough. 1 "The clips were lighter all throngh," said a member, of another firm. Tho winter wns good, but somehow the sheep didn't seem to do too well, and the clips were not as heavy as they were last year. The- farmers in this end of. thn island reckon their clips were lighter by : one pound to two pounds a sheep all round. It was simply due to an exceptionally peculiar winter; there was no growth.in the wool.. Of course, wo can only speak fnr the Wellington province." Another estimate was that nearly all the clips had shown a shortage of 10 per cent, to 15 per cent. . Regarding the reduced price, this year, one man drew attention to the following figures, which he said favoured the argument that supply anfl demand did not airways riile .in the wool business. From May 1, 1010, to February 28. 1011, tho Australian production wa5'1,057,873 bales. In the corresponding period of the previous' year the quantity .was 1,G15,G08 bales. This year's Australian increase was 52,005 bales. But the Australasian figures show that tho increase is 19,019 lialesi tliß nroducl ion this season heing 2,025,481 bales, and that of last season ' ; 2,008,462 bales. Y