YORKSHIRE LETTER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 79, 27 December 1917, Page 8

YORKSHIRE LETTER

THE WOOL OUTLOOK

SCARCITY FOR CIVILIANS

Bradford, October 25, 1917. The shipping problem is very acute- in South Africa, iust a3 it is in Australia, and New Zealand and.it 13 it little difficult to know how it is going to bo solved. The British Government is naturally concerned about bringing to England aji'ttae foodstuffs possible, and. whilo South Almadoe3 not produce puch 0. variety oi things as Australia, we are receiving considerable quantities of mealies (Indian corn). chilled beef, and other things winch all provide food for the British nation. After these food commodities, wool eeemn to occupy the next prominent portion, while mohair is altogether In the background. The latter article-.is not regarded as essential for carrying on the war. out the claims of wool cannot be ignored, and under present conditions, is naturally receiving considerable attention Of course if South Africa produced crossbred wool a still bigger effort would be made to bring it Home, seeing the demand made for this class of material is greater than over. At the same time, South African merinos oan be used in the production of certain classes of army fabrics, though they will not turn out the samo Btrength of fabTics as crossbreds. Even where essentially merino goods a-e concerned, the bulk of South African wools do not possess the same solidity and wearing capacity as Australian merino.

The Government's Proposal. Tho trade at this end is etill without any information regarding the purchase of the South African clip. Farmers have to give a reply cither in tho amrni&tive or negative to the Government offer at tho end of October, and everyone is concerned regarding tho futile of the South African dip Of course it doeis not appeal to Bradford and district like the merino clip of Australia, but all the Bame there are important and eiteniive relation; between the West Elding of Yorshire and South Africa, and if a censufl was taken here in Bradford regarding the' British Government purchase, we are confident that there would be s. large majority in favour of iho Oape market remaining free. We state- this in face of the fact that any arrivals an this country or new purchases would be automatically taken over by the Government. otill, there is a Birong desire on the part of woolmen to aee at least one market remain open for the buying and selling of wools, and the possible shipment to the United States as well as Japan. We. liaAe the news that the best combing Cape- ate being fast acquired by Amerca and Japan, and some verV interesting detail came to hand by the last Oape mall regard ng % respective qualities required l>y tho countries named.

Japanese and Amcrloan Purchases. Farmers' meetings have been held at quite ft number of centres, addressed by important members of the South African Government. We feel disposed to quote the Act''ng-Prime Minister's .italeifltnt, WHO, addressing his constituents at Malmcabury, devoted bis entire speech to the Pfopo=«i Bale of the South African clip to the im-perial-Government. Dealing with Japan and America, the Acting Prime Minister (the Hon. F. 8. Malan) said that the official answer which the Government got witli regard to the wool Japan can take is that there is machinery there to take 300,000 hales, and that she can buy 100,000 to 150,000 bales. Well, as we in South Africa can produce 500,000 bales annually, so that Japan has bought what she can from us, there will still be 350,000 bales left which she cannot buy. /Then you will have exactly the same position with your wool as you have had with your mealies. Japan may oßcr a slight y bettor price but when she has taken all the wool, ehe requires you will be.lcft with the other wool And what then? Before the war most of your wool went to tie Continent of Europe. For the year ended July 31, 1917. tho value of our >™ol exported to he United Kingdom «vas i&«00; t° Oanada £3000; -to the United States Kooo. and 'to Japan . fiU310,000; or a total of £7,269,000; and of this. £3,63 ,000 went to countries other than the United Kingdom, so that the United Kingdom takes more than half now. > The total quantity of wool exported to America from South Africa during 1916 amounted to 227,557 bales, compared with 145512 bales during 1915. America aso took from Port Elizabeth alone 9635 bales of mohair, sheepskins and goatskins 26,207 .Scarcity of Tops. The trade is still without the revised list of top prices. Six weeks ago it was promised that it should be published before September 30. and a good deal of resentment is being expressed at the apparent dilatoriness of the Department, There need be no heartburning on this point, because the trade has had due warning given of advanced values, and if spinners have sold heavily they must be prepared to shoulder any lose. What to-day,is the most important is the sensible reduction £ stocks of tops, and the outook for civilian users is anything but bright. As a matter of fact, the whole position.is grave, and export houses are finding increasing «ty iu obtaining supplies The Department itself is shipping b« quantities direct to France, .Italy and Oanada, and. there appears to be no room whatever for 'ho middleman, notwithstanding the. executive of .the Wool Merchants' Association -attached to the BritMrAssoclation of Wool. Buyers have Sated a scheme for recognition. Even stockß of merino.tops are anything but heavy, consumption on civilian and «- nort account having combined to lift biff Stifles off the market. We understand S arrival" of raw wool in this coun ry ave b«n a little. below average during recent w « eks - bnt in the absen i ! 4 t. ?" thentic particulars it is most difficult to Inow how things actually stand. There is a general impression that the fortbcoming advance in Government top values will average all. round 10 per cent., which is more than many people think i« instu tied but it is remarkable that GovernSt values to-day are still sensibly below every other market throughout the world where wool is being- dealt in freely.