AUSTRALIAN CUP

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20050, 23 September 1939, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN CUP

BRITAIN’S HUGE PURCHASE

DETAILS AWAITED Working details concerning the disposal of the new season’s wool are being awaited in Australia, following the decision of the British Government to purchase the entire clip. Organisation of sea transport will be necessary for the conveyance of the raw materials overseas. Plans are already under discussion. i The purchase of the clip repeats the experience of the last war, when from November, 1916, until June 30, 1920, all wool was acquired by the British Government. In 1913-14 the Australian clip, which was sold at auction, was only 1,996,576 bales, compared with more than 3,000,000 bales now produced. Accorcling to Winchcombe, Carson, Limited, the number of sheep then pastured was 85,000,000, and flocks to-day total 108,000,000. Considerable progress, therefore, has been made in the industry. Manufacturing of tops, yarns * and woollen textiles also has shown extraordinary development. In 1913-14, purchases of wool by Australian manufacturers and scourers were 89,787 bales. Last season they totalled 378,694 hales. The output of fabrics made from wool is now over 31,000,000 square yards annually, and blankets, rugs and shawls, totalling 1,463,000, are produced. During the 1914-18 war, the almost total elimination of supplies of goods from abroad gave a marked impetus to local woollen mill activity, and development has continued. Output of fabrics has increased by more than 50 per cent during the past 10 years. It is possible that Australia will be called upon to manufacture textiles for export for Government purposes.