YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2004, 11 March 1914, Page 10

YORKSHIRE LETTER.

AN IMPROVING SITUATION.

THE POSITION AT BRADFORD,

■ (From Our Special CeneepoMelifeJ Bradford, fontiary 30. Bttyors are now -ail ba.ck from Cole* man street, aiiid. a very different ataisssphere is felt in Worsbedopohs coniparcd with London. Jt is no unusual experience, aad has 'in no sense urmorved the representativos of the various sefe-tious Iho trade. Tho series' tipisbecl \ip fairly weil, the final results evidoatiy pteasing tke majority. The auctionsgan in a Bome-w-ftat subdueti fasMon, steadily gaining ground as the series , progressodj and tiuisl-jiiig in a ivay that sent, buyers baqk to ttoir respective centres teeli-e-g t-Sat after aH morinos at least occupied a • ver.y -strong position. Jib are open to admit that the major* ifcy of buyers felt at the finish that the ' situation possessed features of sd-uswl-1 ness _ Which few- believed existed nt tie j ojienillg. Ti-iero was a, unauitoous be-! bet that before thp close pr-ioes vro-tiM { fall to pieceij, or at least like they were towards the finish k December, but tliD opposite has tafccii place, ■ 111 other Words, the fiais-hivas such as to dispel any feelings of fear regarding tlio ultimate triumph of merinos, and- although ta-day , the majority cannot see ■'limneb. reason for a further ftdva-iico m yahies. tho.rfi is mure cojifidence felt ift the future ftan wo havo see.fi since la,st June."' , Whether this -will prove to be tfifsplaced 4n& ti»o can show, but somehow'we havo v *. ; stronft that ,tto' trade is sj.oivly bnt surely omergfeg. fr-o-ni its 'rcicent state <of des"pondciiiciy, and,that bdfo.ro long \vo shall feel that'triliKjs and-itode arc light.

■TBB : s:t|riUin2 of Wool, '' ' us ■ckrc-Eull* osamine wlcro th.e raw-material stands, for as 6«e loofcs 011 di'sin-tett-skdly, hg uiust admit,tliat it is fetching fairly goad figureis. ~ Tho .pin* je'-sfflrtlv- wool is comparatively- dear thongh it is still at .a ttseable price.' Tiift.great- ecy ki Brad-, foxfl is that nobodj'Jl inaldHß .anytt-i-ug, and t!;«t wool is fetching relatively ■Tjfian it dtight to do. It is n : b ifeub't a jperlect struggle toolitain priefis for "tops and nj-arn-s to show a. satisfactory ffofit. We sloiiß'-say^tt-diy-Mia-fc-the , ulk of tho Bradford trade is Idii.ig conSnetod on the margiiis seen since I9oß:;ijix fact wo know, it is. tt ts|stii] ; jxffisiljlo tfl-dey to pick tip 64'sj tops of average c-kwaetgr at 2s. 3|4 to 2S. 33d,; 40's are to. be Ijongfet-at U%4,, and yot wliei-o is tfao wool ta cdarce from to purcliasc tlent at such reasonable figures ? It simp}y amounts to .ijjv*e is to-divy so mi.icii- luacliinerjf iii tlis 'SforM that- Iras to be kept goiiig tbat liiiJeSS a firm, is prepared to Wd.r-lj vorv ftear the nail- head it might- as frejl s]iat up the pfaiio. Vie think .topmekers are jiistiged 4 to Go.mmandtng a-better jirjts for the combed arb'cte, and ef«n spiking margins are tO'djy very lean niflpfvl. However, t-rffide seems to be centring to-da? arotujcl.a pr-ice sviiicli is iiot going to'prfivenißefr busjnesSj but njaking a profit is whero the difficulty arises. When one things of the prices ricttiajl* paid for gre&fiy wool in London, P'riees- life 1.2 d:. per Iti. i of '(jreasy comb, inig thai wil.l not give a elean yield of nwra t!w-n, 48 per cent., it shows very distinctly the' positron' of' tho nla-rkei Somo iva-nt te k-sw wfe.y sucli prices s-iwqildbe forthcftniiivg., awd'tlio ©11% possible, explanation is that Iho prospective requirements of mills are suoit that thev must havi> it. onk'thero ftou-M' be. Tar flrare in ta-b'te in business if profits wero w&rc- -satisfactory, -

We give taliabte fijgtnros rJl©wtng'.tflist representative classes o{ merino and crossbred wool realised at ifo recent i.ontkm safes ■compared will? the ciorrespondiiig period a year ago:— Merino. 1 . 1913. .• . 19M, .Tamiar.v January . an ra?!C.... avero.-re. per. Hi, p'arTb. Greasy, S. d„. s. d, s. 4. d, Victorian ■ Wost«>: «*»» good <iu'aJL' • arid condi K->n 1 § J g 1* 5 1 C N.S. WaJesr Bit- . . \ •erina,. gofid • • I stewte and icn- ; • dstion ..... 1 2'- 1 3J 1 i'. 1 3 K.B. Wales:'.. X. BwrWtf. • ' fific biair.li , .:. in ii i a i j Qwaisland: Centrals . sbod staple. fair condition ....12 13 1 I t 2 S. JUtitarifaii: Midlands,. ia'.r lentfMt aisd. tonditiwu! 0 111 1. 0 0/IIJ 1 0 Zealand: S. fclftficL ' fail' character 1 «5 I 1J <! 11$ 1 0 S- African slaw staple, siiity... 0 M 0 5J 0 S 0 9 Sfoolw!. Vifctoriafl: Tafr Itmlv and <ol«,r' - 2 «5 2 U 3 1' 2 2 Qiiooflfktid: ■PhnH quality. &tld . cA"rd't*r>vi . 2-1 & 1m -2 0 2 1 N.P Woles: TJair ni"V, ratlS'FT fMiv, .. ..... 1 i« i n i n 1. m •jfi^nl-i-rul: p.,:_ Vb/Iv n.iid colour 1 1H 2 Q 2 0 2 1 PnsTjp; • - iflti, short. IMtM fil 1 7f 1. ■ 91 1 VI Crossbred., V'XorWTt: F-t!f- ---' super, ■. ... ... !• 3 II 1 25 1 rr~c<.l s^»'i : mefl- • ,W •*«'= .1 01 1 1 1 A 1 flj. Ci^sAwd: rrnHe, -iO'sIB'S all' 1 0 Oil 0 1H N«W Koalaiid:' . suiscr M'-M'S 1 SS 1 3J 1 1 12 Oassbrwla: i«c- *».'«. 1 0-1 1 I - 0 111 • 1 0 Cm-^brotls: '.Ws ■«.. 0 In' 0 111 ft Is!; OHCrossVretlf coarse, 35's 0 10! « 11 0 !0! 0 11 Tradfl In Bradford. TIIO position of tiiines_ in Brndfor'l shows . same slight, aiiiflloratiw. from the reeffnt stale of nviwtiiesa,' atul' in t.l« a-i.*ro?=ii-<> more Wsinoss is dc> : \iij. We are satisfied upon, that point. Top'

makers frankly slate that they have not had by any means a bad month's trade, oni.v business baK beMi doiio at iiti moro than cost, ami if wool has not been bought right, sutlers find t-hem-solres «a the wrong side, Hefincs still claim first position. Uaring t-lw past week some nice sales have, been made iuouml 2s. 3-id. to 3s. 4(1. for geod 64'e talis, the character of the article di> termiuinK tlie price. We find that ntsny are firm at- 2s. 4H. Really speaking the market is interested to-day in several items wbicb, if they develop, can load to. distinctly more business in the future. Spinners gjumblo as inueh as ever that trade, with them is not what it oitghr to be, several firms still running short time-) but combers &re busier,'duo te large* supplies of raw Material) and more sorters arc'alsQ at tip boards, All spring ■deliveries of piece goods nare been niade, and. a few nice- repeats have been placed, and even the skipping trade is hardly so depressed as it was. We therefore tliiiili that in the aggregate a- little more is doing tfeas wo fewo seen since last November, and ivs are hopeful of more business on forward accoant, Still, ono misses any spirit of speculation, and were is »ot tlmt ready response by tta,y of anticipating one's future requirements that many Bradford firms have been accustomed to soma. Hie , bulk of spinners have bought as far forward, as aesfc April arsd Slay' in merinos, and' are disposed to let- things rest at that. The great_ contention h. thai tfe.ro is . not sufficient bulk business doing in .Varus and pieces to wafraAit J>ricesa4yanwngj and- with' tha 'weiglrt of colon* ial wool 'no* pouring ' into «m-----sumiug -centres, tho ' resources of the trade' arc- going to be taxed to their utmost capacity. No doubt many.firms have been , seriously impressed with the- fined results af tk> last London suj-es. which have bf-oughi. to an elid all selling fefivatd of yarns'' at less in&n&y. However, the iaipresßiow strongly prevails that prices are at the boitotii for tho titno beitjg, attliougli many are laping to see a fiafiginft of \alues witli ftigny ftrins beiErr i'orfied to realise. We nattily espect such a- %in.s!., for irith moue.v beini; clean, they will ire able to meet tieir providing': there.is an outlet for yarns and piece goods. That is the end «f tho trade winch is going fcs determine, the future course of wool values. What Bradfard wants to-day is an accession of aiew ■ orders fmm abroad,. hut tlia Aaoritan market is not taking piece goods as extensively as jftany wore As a matter of fact, cortpfeints a.rc general in Bfadfiard at tho slow devebjv pent of .the jwee 'business with the tinited States. The latest anJMjtmceinowt is that dross goods made in Atterrea are' being said among Paris hmises, and tfet has greatly surprised Bradford dress goads tnaiiufaeturc-rs, such a move on this ■part q£ America having taken; thorn by storm. It womM indeed be a reroadsablo thing to fad Atiterifah dress ffoods beins;. sold in Bradford, JlansliostGr, aiut iioiidon, thoirdi it. is Weil -within i the l'aflgo of nossiWlityv Hoivever. we repeat that, "what is eonperinnp; Bradfotd nieet teitk,V--)ft the pftmijinir and weaving ewdaf the textile trade* and it is there where tliefft is most room far trhi provompnt. CrossTiriKls oie slow hut firm, sntjt altiioutjii iteK , .audtli£.i-c Jfl's jWepfir-c-A -tops can bo p-felsetl «», at VIA., 15d. J3 liftvjjlfc to be paid % spot.dcliy.cry. •