YORKSHIRE LETTER

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2934, 21 November 1916, Page 8

YORKSHIRE LETTER

POINTS OF INTEREST AND IMPORTANCE

(I'rora Our Special Correspondent.)

Sin™ Br f df , September 2(i. Since writing last the sixth series o? ?VB S 0 " 1 ® t0 a finish ' b, " t g0! " s to & IV6 any detailed summary because what wo ha™ written f "Ylwi paS 'i ee xvee ks fully sets t° fieDe S f ourSD of the auctions, suffice to say that no important change took place as the end- drew near, the same features being emphasised, namely mmv satisfactory demand for goid fa? f l lu DOS ' . Wlth , a disappointing Cjill foi iauilty and carbonising wools. 7« i 5 h , aTe n s . tat «l during the past twoweeksi that selling brokers will hare to be a little more detailed in riving their report after a sale, because irregularity noticed in faulty wools is interpreted 111 consuming centres to apply to good wools also, but this was not the case in the present instance. As a mattei oi fact, the competition for anything of combing length remained keen right to the close, and the carry over is almost exclusively in wools of the least desirable type. If the, 11,000 bales carried forward could have been disposed ol to an outside customer like America, no one would have been the poorer, but apparently the War Office, through the Army Contracts Department, is not going -oiook with favour upon relinquishing the embargo, and therefore at present these wools will have to be recatalogucd and made the best of by owaers. High Prices for Na* Clip. As mentioned at the time, the recent auctions provided a sprinkling of Queens, land - new clip,, which proved most acceptable to the trade. There was nothing particularly great about the wools, but certainly big prices prevailed, and unless we are greatly mistaken the prices realised will be looked back to in- future years as being "pinnacle" values. It is really remarkabje to fiad 2s. 3Jd. paid for greasy fleece wools, which, in ordinary times, a grower would have been glad to have sold for a shilling per lb. ess. Of course the general absence of burr in most of the Queensland clips makes the -material all the more acceptable to buyers, and yet there are many brands in South Queensland. near tie New South Wales border which -are nasty because of the presence of considerable burr and red earth. Still this is entirely due to climatic conditions, aver wHich growers have no control whatever. The following are particulars of the top prices realised for Queensland new clip wools:— GREASE. Fleece. Pieces, etc. Mark. d. d. Evora 2"! 241 Bastmere 26 2-1' Enniskillen 28 24 Doondi 251 19 aordon Downs 25" ■ 214 Amby Downs 25 151 Weribone 24i ' 24~ ETobartville 24J 221 Ainderby 24J — Oakwood 23J 22 Bimerah 23 211 Noorama 23 — Mount Marlow 23 - — Peak Downs 22 21$ Warrnambool Downs ... 211 19 SCOURED. . Bunda 451 . 42 Yorkshire Downs ......... 444 391 Dakwood -10 ' 34 Enniskillen : <44»- 421 Bimerah 41 36 Retreat .30* 32} ■ The question of the distribution of the last colonial, clip is increasing in importance, the latest figures of Messrs. Schwartze, Buchanan and Co. being well worth careful analysis. There is no uniformity whatever in the distribution of the last clip .compared with the 1915 season. -The home takings show a big falling off, while America shows a marked increase. At the same time the enlarged takings of the United States do not atone for the falling off of the home trade, and yet when all is said and done the home trade has absorbed a greater quantity of colonial wool this last season than during any 6eason in pre-war times. One must not forget that there are to-day fewer hands working in the mills' of the West Riding, and the takings of the Continent only show 10,000 bales-increase, compared with the total season' of 1915. We are rather inclined to think that the lessened production of Australia last season is shoiving itself in. a marked manner, and tho coming season will emphasise the lessened production still more, becauso the important carry-over • at the end of the 1914-15 season has been entirely absorbed. Practically speaking, a new wool season opens with clean-swept boards everywhere,'and the 10,000 bales which have been carried forward is a mere bagatelle, half of which consists of New Zealand produce. When one thinks of tho large quantity of faulty merinos which were catalogued, it is really wonderful to find such a small weight to be carried forward. The following 6hows the supplies and deliveries of colonial wool as compared with the total season of last year, transit wools and direct imports being includedTotal Six Series. . Season. 1916. 1915. . Bales. Bales. Home consumption . 1,127,000 1,923 000 ; Continental do. -222,000 212,000 American do, 667,000 551,000

■ 2,016,000 2,686,000 There is no further development in regard to the _trade being apprised of the intention of the Government respecting any action, it proposes to take in dealing with the forthcoming new clips 7, Australia, fjew Zealand,- and South' Africa. One of the best-informed ■ authorities said to the writer this week that something "would be done,"- 1 but that was all he could say. . . There is widespread discontent over the present position of the English clip, and f one could say all that he knows then there would be a "shine." Everybody seems to be out for their own interests, while the inequalities which prevail are almost past; comprehension. The less tinkering is done with, the colonial clips the better for everybody, and the Empne ,i a well. One of the most prominent members of the trade has remark£&V I T eI,UB hild bee " Cilllw! " ?J' f m' (1 an J? 11 stron S protest made against the scheme there would have been every farmer in Great Britain bobeen faker.™. r" d ' f such " move been taken no Government would have S; B. C?rnC f d OU , t " resent P™posdis. But it is too late to f-iiL-"bout that now. It if more apparent than ever that many firms «re going to be pushed to the wall! while hims of considerable standing- are fnrin® badly in regard to obtaining clips which of' e vJi la - V % I 1 d - fc r, il ercat number oi jeaih. So long as the Government is financing the scheme, those in a position lor getting fleeces are doing so, while one hears repeated many strong complaints of a lack of fairness. Then in regard to the question of charges, the whole l a< iV viiS ,. formed at the beginning that the clip was being taken over with a view to checking tiie upward tendency 01 values, and. paving fanners only 35 per cent, above mil prices meaiit at least 3d. per lb. less, than they would havo got in the open "market It is now generally evident that that 3d. is going in administration expenses, for in the sale values already fixed prices are an average 4d. per lb. above the prices actually paid to growers. Further comment is unnecessary. Bradford Market. The changes compared with last week arc not numerous. There is just as much 'firmness on the part of topmakers, and nn ll ? 6 report a. healthy 'flow of business. Uns is not general, but the market does not seem to bo taking: any "harm, the cost of raw material compelling topmakers to assumo a. firm front. The inquiry for merinos is on the whole healthy, and topmakers arc very firm. Evidently a diminishing output is telling its tale, and Is. 6d. can be made quityi freely for a good top. Some fir.nis report having made as much as Id. more, and no doubt for along warp top spinners ha.ve to pay high values. There is also a very healthy inquiry for dry-combed tops, and a few spot lots are about. Of course all want quality with a faiT length, aud this is increasing combing difficulties. Crossbreds also are very soundly situated, and there is no giving way in values. Apparently more has been done in practically all qualities than appears on the surface, and ther© is increasing evidence of a big consumption.