OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3985, 19 July 1915, Page 3

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

WHY CROSSBREDS ARE WANTED FOR KHAKI PURPOSES. (From Our Special Correspondent.) BRADFORD, June 4. To every woolman throughout Great Britain pastoral conditions throughout the Commonwealth appeal very strongly, and the recent announcement of splendid rains throughout the whole of the Commonwealth rejoices the heart of everyone. For some months the crv of drought has been dinned into our ears most persistently, and those with any practical knowledge of country life in Australia, know what a drought actually means. Sheep cannot live without grass, and water is necessary if food is (o grow, and South Australia and certain parts of the Riverina seem to have been affected very seriously indeed. However, cable news has relieved our mind and that of the trade by the announcement that the drought is practically broken, and that feed and water*\vill he sufficient to carry sheep ''well*on towards next lambing. All the same we should be very glad to see a further good fall, and to make things absolutely safe for the next- three months. Under a hot drying sun, moisture soon evaporates and therefore, further bountiful rainfalls are essential. Many Australian pastoralists will now be .looking forward to shearing the new clip, and wondering what wool markets are going to he like. It is the writer's firm conviction that wool markets are well able to take care of themselves. Values to-day are practically on a level with what they were before the war started, we can well do without the support of Germany, and but for the inadequacy of combing machinery, a good deal of the raw material would he moving out of sight. If the Germans were only out of northern France it. would he'the salvation of the whole trade, and wo are longing to sec that event take place. 'SLIPED WOOLS. News from® New Zealand to hand recently speaks in no unmeasured terms of a freezing works crisis, and it is that fact which prompts a few observations on the output of sliped wool, for it has been found to be without equal in the product in of fabrics for khaki purposes. . As a rule door closes another opens, and what manufacturers would have done withqut the ‘‘general purpose” sliped wools is a little difficult -to imagine. Possibly we should have found some substitute in a larger use of greasy fleece crossbred wool, but for the production of woollen weft yarns suitable for use’ in conjunction with worsted yarns combed and spun out of tjiis wool, they have done exceedingly well. General remark was made last series of London sales at the small quantities of New Zealand sliped wool which were catalogued, but- we believe that more of this staple will be available at the next series. Stil in years gone by tho May sales have produced some very good offerings, and therefore their absence for many reasons was to be regretted. It is the writer’s firm conviction that if any quantity had' been catalogued prices would have suffered for the top classes, in fact for the second and third rate lots values declined ltd nor lb, only the really good lambs maintaining their ground. i\ow these sliped crossbred wools do not appeal to Australian and South Afucan wool growers for the simple reason that their wools when removed from tho skins of killed sheep arc scoured before being sent to marked. New Zealand and South America seem to .';o„ pursuing a policy of their own, and the trade to-day lias become accustomed to big quantities of sliped crossbred wools which ,aro sent to London and Bradford from these two countries. These wools are exceedingly helpful and most acceptable to users, and as before stated they liavo proved to he- unexcelled for tho pro- j duction of khaki cloths for the troops ■ on the field. The reason is that those i w-.ols are not too long for manipula- ' tion by woollen carding machinery, and the wools when scribbled and spun ; produce exceedingly strong yarns, ■ which woven in conjunction with ‘ worsted warp produce fabrics that arc strong and will stand plenty of hard j weal. It was only a question of ab- ' so’ute necessity that compelled the i War Office to accept solid worsted | khaki serge for use by our troops, and the writer is in a position to say that j the old cloths for tunics and trousers 1 made of woollen and worsted together : are preferred to-day. All the same we could not have done without the . huge supplies of crossbred wool which ; Australian and New Zealand pa stockists have sent to this country, and a very wise thin<r indeed was done ■ when tlie War Office olaced an om-

: argo on the export of crossbred wool hist October 4. These sliped wools Will he very welcome when they become available, and they are certain to meet with a strong* market, becniiSte the general impression still obtain t that manufacturers will have to produce big quantities of khaki serge for another winter’s campaign. One of the first firm's manufacturing khaki has maintained all during the boom that the War Office ought to have looked with favor upon khaki serge made from all merino wools, and if this had been done it would have saved, tho British public a few millions of money besides being of direct benefit to pastoralists in South Africa and Australia. There's *-om j>tliing to be said in favor of this. B'.ill Ow»or manufacturers assert wth a good deal of truth that a ?o!i, J worsted merino serge does not pi *.«» ss that warmth which a serge does nui-m from worsted warp and a woollen weft, and experience has found tins to bo so. One must not forget Hut' our soldiers have to stand out in. Hm open trendi all the night, and i: is therefore absolutely essential that they be clad in something that retains heat. Wo therefore think that Have is little likelihood of khaki serge being made from pure merino wool, ml if tlie campaign extends through another winter, there will still lie a Inigo demand for crossbred wools both llooeo and in the sliped state.

RARTaAL -EMBARGO on fine TOPS.

It -was briefly mentioned last week that the War Trade Department b.is seen fit to refuse tlie granting of licenses for .the -export of merino N.ps, and this week has been a further <!>'- vclopment on this head. Regular readers of this letter will have noticed the rapid advance in fine tops, largely the result «of machinery being tillable to satisfy demands. It is now common knowledge that no licenses are to be granted for some time to come for the export of fine tops to America, Japan, Continental neutral countries, or even to. Russia, a few being allowed to he shipped to Franco, and that country only. The reason is obvious. Prices have sensibly and •persistently advanced,, due to Bradford commission combers being unable to meet the demands of their customers. Some weeirs there lias been a perfect scramble to got tops for spinning purposes, and'.spintiers have brought forward right a.way to next '.February and paid up toAs per lb. This is all the outcome of reduced production find shortage, and we cannot see where any improvement can take place until more machinery begins to work in Northern France. It.- has been repeatedly' stated' that mills in Rouhaix, Toureoiug, Lille and Rlieims have been partly ruined by the tiermans damaging machinery, hut a fetter the writer hoard read from Roubaix last week Hinted the opposite, mills in/that city still being intact, tliough all standing. Gf.>nei;nl opinion favors the idea that when the Gormans are for rod, to retire they.,-will not do so very gracefully, hut will leave behind sad evidences of their visit. Whether German troops have received instructions to blow up mills in’ .lloubaix and whether the threat is "carried out only time will decide, but in any case to-day they seem to

be . intact, and we hope will remain so.

'• PRICES AGAIN HIGHER. The market is again firmer, and there seems to be no limit in tho' upward direction. Three shillings and a penny is now the general quotation for G-i’s tops, while the tip top article that made this price last week would not be offered at less than 3s l£d to-day, and that only for delivery in five months at the earliest. As much as 3s 2d has been paid for dry combed 64’s, but this is only equal to ffs Okl for tops in oil, the usual difference between the price of dry combed G4’s and G4’s in oil is 1J« a lb., but. the combers are to-day making a premium. The foreign demand, i.e., from Japan, France, Russia and certain neutral European countries, has been chiefly for the dry comood article, but of course, this is now cut off by our War Trade Department s declaration last week.

So far this declaration has done nothing to check, the advance of merino tops,-they having risen about a penny since it was -made. ■ The recruiting boom still continues hi the West Riding, and combers have to put up with stilt further reductions of their incomplete staffs. Spinners are in the same circumstances, and many are hoping that the manufacture of wool in its later stages will ho. made slower, so that the mills employed on combing and spinning can catch up with the demand. v lf they are to overtake consumption, consumption must he less, because they cannot increase their output. . Forty-eight’s tops have risen to -s 10 d, a ini from 4G’s upwards the call is very strong. Even at to-day s level, when such remunerative prices aie possible, topma kers 1 all round tin market are reluctant to sell. some firms: do not now come on C hange. They have sold enough. Others are quoting high in self dol'oneo. Spinners would willingly put down lug orders for December January and February delivery il they could him makers to accept them. More than one top maker is sorry he has cont-i act cd co far ahead, for by selling his output in spot lots he could make bettoi li<nires. Of course hv selling tonvaid he may have -disposed of Ins tops at a higher level than will be ruling when delivery falls due.