YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1209, 18 August 1911, Page 2

YORKSHIRE LETTER.

FHEXCH WOOL TRADE AND VEGETABLE FIBRE. (From Our Special Correspondent.) Bradford, July 7, 1011. Judging from the latest news from Roubaix the vexed question of vegetable fibre in wool is not yet dead, for to-mor-row thorn is to bo an international congress to consider ouce again the bejt way of getting rid of the' difficulties created by wool getting contaminated with vegetable fibre. The congress has been called by the Union des Filateur-s Francais (spinners' association), and will be attended by delegates from England, Germany, Belgium, Italy, and Franco. The Chamber of Commerce in Bradford, where originated the agitation and has done much to keep it alive, will bo represented by .Mr. J. E. Fawcett, Sir. Henry Ayrton. and Sir. Thomas Whiteley. The Bradfordmorning paper contains a summary of a report which has been issued by the association convening the congress, which shows that the French spinners and manufacturers are fully alive to the magnitude of the evil and to the necessity of providing effective remedies. Several parties, says the report, are inculpated, actively and passively, and it is in combining all who are interested in the manufacture of wool that wo shall bo best able to make ourselves hoard by those who are responsible for tho evil or have failed to take steps to prevent it. We have in view the grower, the carrier and the comber. With regard to tho grower, wo must carry on a campaign-to induce him to abandon the tying, of fleeces. This is especially nsces-a'ry in South America, for the practice is almost confined to that country.' The tying of fleeces is by no means indispensable, but if the Argentine grower persists in tho practice let him ut least give up the use of thick, shaggy ropes, which inevitably leavo a gr«at part of their fibres in tho wool. Fine, strong, or, better still, paper twine, has all the advantages of the old method, without any of its inconveniences. Nevertheless -we aro of opinion that the uso of string can and ought to be superseded altogether. ' CONDEMNATION 01 JUTE PACKS. The report goes on to consider, the question of .suitable packs. It demands tho proscription of tho present jute packs and the substitution either of packs made entirely of paper or of canvas, with a paper lining. With regard to damage done during transport, it is rccommcndcd that hooks should be ured as little hs possible in order, to avoid tho tearing of the pack and the introduction of vegetable fibres into tho wool by that means. The passages of the report which relate to tho treatment of wool during and after the process of combing ore of special interest, insomuch as tliev deal with a phase of tho difficulty which has been but little touched on here. Wo pass over the reference to the culpability of topmakers (negocia'nts en peignes), .who .from .motives of false economy instruct tho comber to put their wool through "as it is." The allusion is. to a state of things which-has no parallel in Bradford.. There is, -however, a useful warningagainst the danger of paying for the removal of string at piece-work rates. "Tho workman paid at so much the 100 kilcs. fcr the fleeces untied only looks at tho gross result, and in order not to lose precious time will leave in the interior of the fleece an end of twine or a knot which, when torn up in tho carding machine, • will contaminate a whole combing." PACKING OS' TOrS. . ■ It is on the question of the packing of tops, that the report raises new matter. Atter. pointing out that tops, like raw woo!, Jii'o packed in jute canvas, the report goes oil' to say that it is true that jho balls aro cnolo'sed in a • paper wrapping, but cither because the. paper is not' .strong enough' or. tho. c'anvris is not of ~Sufficiently good quality,, it- is a regular .experience on unpacking a bag of tops to "find them deprived of their protection and in direct contact with jute. It is necessary, thercforo. 'to' stek for an iio; . provemc'nt both in tho paper and, the ! canvas. 11l transit no paper will withstand .tho rough-handling to which a bag of- tops.,is ordinarily-subjected. Whentlie balls, ar'6'wrapped up in pajier 'a' certain,, aniount . of,'air is necessarily included, and 'as.soon.as' the.bag is dropped, ffprn a cart or a'truck the compression of the air will' inevitably burst the paper. This difficulty could be got'fever by'piercing holts in the paper to let the air escape, and two sheets of paper should be used so that the wodl shall not come iir contact with the canvas through the holes.' Finally, it is essential that the hales should bo pressed, as >s -'lone in Germany, tho air beingexpelled gradually in the press. The result will be a hard .and compact, bale, tho papers' in which will be capable .of standing rough usage w'HhetitVdsiifAgS',-. By .this means also, it; 'would-.lie p'otsiblo. to. produce a bale 'rnail<ige4ble.by The "lugs" at the corners, and not : needing 'to be handled with'hooks. -WHERE DOES'THE GROWER COSIE . IN?---, Wo have read oyer the above with considerable interest, and after following the subject' very closely ever since it was broached, w'c. have come to the conclusion that it is indeed little use for the Vegetable Fibre Committee to meet and urge upon growers the importance of paperlined packs unless buyers and users are prepared'to'do something tangible themselves. That the evil exists goes without saying, and it would be a pleasure for all concerned if it could be finally abolished. Various views aro expressed ' respecting nn improvejnout, and we endorse tho opinion that there has been an -abatement of. the. evil. It is, however,-j far from being cured, a,nd never will be until there is a universal adoption of tho corrugated paper-lined packs. In' many cases the .advice given twelve months ago to us 3 these lias been adopted in Australia and South Africa, and occasionally by New Zealand pastoralists, but with many large growers affirming that, they will not incur the extra expense nccessary in purchasing paper-lined packs, "clcarly shows what is tho attitude of tho majority of pastoralisls in Australia as well as the Capo and South America. At this side we have repeatedly urged the Vegetable Fibre Committee to lqok at tho matter squarely, and see if tliey cannot adopt means whereby the buyer can pay halt of tho extra oxponse incurred, by obtaining these superior tares. . We certainly think ,'.rowers have manifested a very good spirit by stating that they are quite prepared to meet the trade, and even an allowance of Gd. per pack woulfl induce 'many-pastoralists to adopt the paper-lined tare. So -long as the trade refuses to do \thrst, v.a aro certain that the evil wi.. continue, and the sooner the Vegetable Fibre Committee recognises that point, and takes steps to bring it about,. tho sooner will the evil bo abolished. THE SHOW OF WOOL AT THE ROT - BAIX EXHIBITION. The writer has not visited the Roubfc'lx Exhibition, but has heard from that centro that, the show of Australasian and River Plats wools is very creditable. The exhibition is being largely visited, a,nd nothing, but words of approval are heard of the splendid show. Neither Australasian nor Argentine wtcls need c.ny introduction lo a Roubaix public, but visitors aro pouring into that city from every quarter of Enrono, consequently the wools are being brought before the attention of a large number of people, and meriting the advertisement which they well deserve. It may mean expense lo the various States interested, but in th? long run both directly and indirectly it cannot but impress the importance as well as the usefulness of Australian and South American wools upon a large clientele. In all' cas's tliey appear to bo an eyeop'iier to those who are not familiar with a sight such as is seen at any woolselling centre in Australia or London. It seems to us as if the agricultural authorities of both-Australia and tho Eiver Plate have carried out a very happy idea, and wo trust it will bring renewed prosperity to the principal products of both countries, namely, the growing and exporting of raw wool. Tho world is undoubtedly demanding a larger supply, and although to-day things look like suffering a slight s;t-back, yet it is but a temporary phase r of tho market. ~ . BUSINESS IN BRADFORD AT A STANDSTILL. At the time of writing there is no definite announcement that the . wcol. combers' strike is settled, although at nnj moment we expect to hear news to that effect. The representatives of the masters and the men met for the first lime last Tuesday, the conference lasting five hours, 'after which it was decided io adjourn, and at the present hour they arc again

in conclave, trying to come to terms which will bi< .satisfactory to both parties. It has taksni a long time to bring tilings even to this stage, and it could have been reached three weeks ago if a policy of common sen:'C had only obtained. Wo blame wither party, but three weeks of standing machinery has played havoc with the whole industry, besides bringing many thousands of innocent women and children almost to starvation. Another fortnight, und Bradford \vouU_ be in a state of revolution, but we believs that wiser councils will prevail lo prevent fame. S:, far as actual t.ra.de is concerned, we might as well lay the pen down and say that lliFre is "nowt doing." That is actually the case, and will remain' so for a. few weeks longer. Even when the yoolcombs get going, spinners in tlifl, majority of cases will simply tako in tops bought some time ago, nobody regarding the present as an- opportune time to fix up new contracts. The past week's business has consisted of users picking up a few spot lots of tops, the fundamental principle of the transaction being immediate delivery. Spinners have done thoir best for six weeks past to make provision for the worst, but we havo not IteaTd of a single spindle having to stand, notwithj standing the three weeks' strike of the woolcombers.