WELLINGTON NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 31 August 1926, Page 4

WELLINGTON NEWS

(Special to “ Guardian.”) WELLINGTON, August 27. THE WOOL trade. Dalgety's “Annual Reviewer the Wool Trade” covering the 1920-2 G reason, that is to June JO last, contains, as usual, valuable information, hath statistical and otherwise. Attention is directed to the fact that the on - .standing feature of the seasons statistics is the record volume and aggiegate value of the turnover. The averm «*» i»' w* w.*"*- “ increased volume of wool pate U through the auctions resulted in the aggregate value showing an increase for the Commonwealth. r l here was a decrease for the Dominium The gnu total for Australia and New Zealand amounted to £«S<J3O BGJ. and con,pares with £09,083,182 in 1924-20, llu ,l £01.929.298 in 1023-24. The gross value of the Au.stnTiTan sales in the pre-war voe,r was C 20.079.530. and the wool sold last year was CG0.341.,417 The 3.140.910 hales sold m Australia and New Zealand welgbed 997.187.015 lh.. as compared with -,Uou.. .",15 hales weighing 0,1 ,131 .IJJIh- 111 1924-25. The average weight per halo was 3171 h. as compared with 32,1 h m ISJM.-25. The net production ot the Commonwealth was 2,447.800 hales, as compared with 2,094.880 bales m the previous season, an increase of 281 980 hales, and of New Zealand 080,910 hales as compared with 591.674 hales in 1921-25. a decrease of 0,04 hales. The production figures of the Commonwealth and Dominion reached a grand total of 2,903,700 hales, as com- *•"**££: vious season, an meieasc ol lvd.es Taking the comparison hack two years, the increase was 595,315 bales. The proportion ol fleece wool handled was 94 per cent., and of lambs’ wool 0 per cent, as compared

with 95 per cent, and 5 per cent, respectively in the previous season. Of the total offered 97 per cent. *as in the grease, and 3 per cent, scoured, 'faking the whole of the wool sold, the proportion of merino was 70 per cent, and of crossbred fit) per cent, as compared with 03 per cent, merino and 3, per cent, cross-bred in 1924-2 ). Ihe X.Z. figures have shown no change for the past three years, via. 2 per cent, merino and 98 per tent, crossbred. WOOLLEN WOOL PACKS.

Neither in .New Zealand or Australia will any use he made of the woollen wool packs suggested by Bradford, and samples of which were sent out for examination and trial. It is well known that wool-growers have been willing to meet the requirements of manufacturers in respect ol wool packs if it could he shown that the wool would serve as well as jute lor the pack and no heavy expenditure on the part of the grower were entailed. The woolpacks which have been sent

out were submitted to the test and must he condemned. The test in New Zealand showed that under dumping pressure the packs split at the seams and would not stand rough handling, besides showing a disposition to pick up dirt,. It is stated that a stronger pack made of wool has been evolved, !>v means of treatment and perhaps by the selection of better raw material anil this will be welcome news to the woplgrowers if the new pack will stand the wear and tear of handling, and he as economical as the pack. I'Ii.OZKX ' MEAT MARKET. ' , The depressed state of the frozen meat market seems likely to he a continuous a (fair, and must cause very grave concern to all interested in the industry. One is forced to this conel its ion by what is happening in Australia where the meat export season Inis begun. According to private advices exporters are offering old per lb. for fat lambs. under 4211,.. 3d < light-weight wethers, and lid for :'Wc>. These are ruinously low prices, even for Australia, but there they are. New Zealand lamb and mutton are of course of higher quality and will realise on the average of 2d to 3d more than Australian, even so the prices "ill be disastrous. Last week the best, price ruling at Smithficld for the highest grade Canterbury lamb was only 0.’r.1, and if there is to he no advance on this flic price for lambs in the new season must rule v.ery low, possibly below the cost of production. The only consolation lies in. the fact that the opening of the season is still some weeks ahead, arid by that time llio market may have improved, especially if the coal crisis is ended.