YORKSHIRE LETTER

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 49, 21 November 1919, Page 10

YORKSHIRE LETTER

VALUES FOR WOOL AND TOPS FIKM (From Our Special Correspondent.) Bradford, September 11. There is no important change ill the Bradford top mark;!, though the policy which it is intended to pursue with regard to the export of crossbreds should he of sonin assistance in that department. It is understood that recently some verv reasonable prices have been taken. - even fur 'Hi's prepared', but with the opening out of export markets and the granting nf licenses to export, this easier tendency should be counteracted. Merinos and fine crossbreds aro practically unchanged, Deliveries aro, of course, coming round very slowly, which fact is still a serious obstacle in the way of new business being accepted. At the same time, orders are being placed for delivery nest year, and it is understood' that Capes have been sold for delivery around January, February, and March, tho average basis of price being around Bs. 6d. per lb. A lower price is known to lmvo been acccptcd, but is not considercrt to bo representative of the market to-dav. It is impossible to obtain snot, lots of merinos. Botany yarns are very firm, and only for sccond-ha.nd yarns, which it may be possible lo find in the hands of manufacturers. can it be said that- it is possible to buy anything cheap compared wilh recent rates. Spinners are still handicapped by Ilia curtailed .output of tups, and if a definite policy could be formulated whereby this could bo overcome. a further largo weight of orders would no doubt be accepted. For the time beintr crossbred spinners find an altitude of indifference towards their yarns, but as indicated above there is reasonable hope of a new turn being given to the market. Colonial Wool Prices. A sale of colonial wool was held in Bradford last Friday. The offerings, which iotailed 10,8-17 bales, had been on view in Hull. Bidding was fairly active. tho prices realised being generally about, on a parity with previously current rates for corresponding, classes of wool, but among New Zealand's withdrawals were numerous, in consequence of iho bids made not coming up to the reserve figures put on them by 'the Government. The. major part of the wools were of South Australian origin. Among ffie New Zealand wools withdrawn wore slipe crossbred lambs, slips Leicester, and scoured stained crutchings, including some decent-sized lots. These wools were often of a seedy and inferior type, which largely accounted for tho numerous withdrawals. The Adelaide -wools were practically all crossbreos, and included a fair sprinkling of Lincolns. Though the most numerous of the offerings were sold with comparatively few withdrawals, a fair amount of buying was done on expert account. The following is -a selection of marks and the prices:—CWC/1 in circle, 20 bales scoured super combing, 70d.; 31 bales of the same mark, GSd.; (1 bales, G7d.; other lots of the same mark realised 63d. to 65d. ; scoured first A pieces, 47J0'.; scoured second nieces, 17d.; scoured first A pieces, 24 bales. 431.1. j JT/\lomba, scoured stained pieces, 19 bales, 40d.; .IU/'IJ, scoured super pieces, 10 bales, 3Gd.Claridge/ M'Covswell, greasy crossbred fleece, 12 bales. 2D5d.; RML/Lallyapna, groasy comeback. 21 bales, 27.1 d.; RS in diamond. greasy crossbred, 301(1.; IILM/Williup. greasy AA comeback, 14 bales, 24d.; JG/SD, greasy crossbred,- 20 bales. 26(1.; .TL/Sunriybank, greasy B crossbred 13 bales Sfid.: SH/Tiparra, greasy Shropshire, 5 bales. 27d.; Kooloola, greasy iins crossbred. 20 bales, 2S!d. Wool Council Meetinn. The ninth meeting of the Wool Council has been hold in London. Statistics relating to wool were .brought forward, tho chairman stating that tho imports of Australian and Now Zealand wools ud to August 31 amounted, in round numbers, to 1,900.000 bales, against 1,800,000 in the corresponding period of the preceding years taken together. Arrivals of all other classes of wool, except South American, luyl been fully ud to normal, The quantity afloat from Australia and New Zealand was nlwut 180,000 bales, and it was estimated that about 1,400,000 bales were in stock in those two Dominions. Taken in bulk, the available stocks of wool, and especially the quantity in this country, were more than ample, but it unfortunately continued to be" the case that demand,' not only in England, but from all the markets, was conceit (rated in such an unusual degree on fine crossbred comb ing wool, and merino wools of all sorts, especially the finest, that it continued to be difficult to cope with the excessive requirements of thwe particular classes. It was sincerely to Imi hoped that this anomaly would soon bo rectified, and that a substantial part of the demand would be diverted to medium a,ml low crossbred wool which, regarded on any pre-war standard, at present was infinitely better value for tho money. This i« an aspect of the wool situ a. tion which for a Ion? time has caused surprise among those directly interested in the industry. 'Die chairman's remarks about medium and low crossbreds being infinitely better value for the money is one which needs to be driven home to the public both at Home and,abroad, for though the de. sire for fine duality goods may be taken as-nn indication of the existence of superior tastes, there is not tlm slightest doubt that from a commercial point of vimv there is some reason for discouraging it. Export of Tops. The general policy which has hitherto been in operation with regard to the export of these commodities seems likely to remain in force. Tho Exports Committee of the Wool Council liavo reported in favour of licensing the export of tops up to 46's, and tho Department accepted this report, deciding to rcoommend to the War Trndo Department that licenses should be freely granted for wool of 4fi's quality and downwards in the raw sta 10. wool scoured in the country, cased wool, and matching.?. Liberty freely to export tops and yarns is one of tho great needs of the moment, though the intention to allow only wool below 4G's quality to be exported seems to be out of harmony with the trend of the demand on the Continent. -It is still being found that inquiries lean strongly towards merino? and fine crossbreds, from which it is apparent that some educative means is necessary to bring home to the public, at large the fact that supplies of low quality raw material are greater in comparison with fine sorts and that, if only more attention would .be given to tiicni, it would be nossib'e to provide more partly and fully manufactured goods at reasonable prices as thing go to-day. Tho tendency of yarns in this country*is for botanies to advance, and medium and low crossbreds to depreciate, thus matin? the disparity between the two doscrintions all the water. Even if crow, bred" take a. turn in conseoiience' of tho demand for them Imcming stronger, thev have considerable leeway to make up.' Standard Clothing. This question lias been held in abeyance largely due to tho Profiteering Bill being brought forward. The chairman of tho Wool Council stated that the Central Committee under the Profiteering Act having now been constituted, its chairman. Jlr. Charles M',Curdy,' M.l'., is ready lo take into sympathetic consideration'the views of the Wool Council as to the best means of correcting the evil of high prices. Sir Arthur Goldfinch went: on to say that he had callcd together a meeting of the Standard Cloth Committee, which had been held on September I, and that committee had framed a report to be presented if approved by the council, to the' Central Committee under the Profiteering Act, re-nllirming the recommendations in regard to the adaption of a slandard clothing scheme, and especially recommending tho scheme drawn up on .luly Hi. The .Labour Parly have pressed strongly for the standard clothing scheme to be coniniil'''>ry. it b»ing due to their influence that when it was drafted a clause to thai cIWI was included. When -tlio matter was considered by the council. Iho chairman ''"hod the Labour representatives to withdraw from that attitude, but though lliev submitted an amendment thev'substantially maintained I heir original position. It appears from what Is known of the feeling nf topmakers, spinner'. "iid manufacturers, that there is no little willingness to participate in a I voluntary scheme, and there is no doubt

that if standard clothing can be manufactured voluntarily, it is eminently de. sirablo to do so. A certain amount of overlapping has arisen in consequence of the Profiteering Bill being introduced, but tho great point is that cheaper clothing is urgently needed, and tho sooner it can be put on tho market the better it will be tor tho public. Thore cer. tainlv should be a largo demand for.standard* blankets and other similar goods, and if any section of tho public refuse to buy them, they will liave to stand the racket themselves. Mr. 11. Dawson, whose practicaly opinions on the trade aro widely appreciated, took the opportunity to say that though he did not oppose the report on standard clothing he did not think the scheme would go to the root of tho mutter. He emphasised that, restriction of the output of tops reduced supplies available for the worsted industry, and that the tendency of increasing prices wns far ton strong to bo checked" except by a complete change of fashion or by rcslraiut on grounds of economy.