A RECORD WOOL CLIP.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 9 August 1911, Page 3

A RECORD WOOL CLIP.

We have received a copy of the " Annual Wool Review "? published by Dalgety and Co., The principal feature of the wool year has been that a record clip was shorn, the oversea exports having amounted to 2,468 759 bales, an increase of 34, 107 bales on the shipments of the pre ■ vious twelve months. Owing to a slightly lower level of prices, the average per bale was £12 ,10s 4d, as compared w-th £13 12s 2d in the proceeding season; but even at this rate the value of the clip was a little over £30, 300,000. It is a fact >vorthy of notice that the 2, 000,000 bales limit in exports was reached for the first time in the year 1906-7, and that the past year's are nearly double those of 1903-4. There could not, therefore, be better proof of the marvellous recuperative powers of the country than is shown by these figures.

According to the figures given, the flocks in Australia and New Zealand now total a little over 116 millions, having increased during the past twelve months by a little over half a million head. A greater number of sheep, however, are now depastured in Australasia than at any period during the past 17 years, the previous record having been in 1891, when the figures reached a. few under 125 millions. The increase during the past twelve months is considerably below what had been expected, but is accounted for to a considerable extent by the very large numbers which have been slaughtered for ex-> port and home consumption; A very high standard with respect to the cut per head has now been reached, especially in regard to merinos, a fact which will be appreciated when it is stated that though there were many more sheep to shear 20 years ago, the clip shorn the past season, eclipses all previous records.

As regards the future, " Dalgety's Annual Review" slates that prospects for another bounteous season are en. cijuragiug, while the outlook, broadly speaking, is distinctly good. A splens didly grown and sound wool clip is expected, and provided somewhere about current rates are maintained during the coming selling season, woolgrowers will again reap a good reward for their labours, which continue to do ko much towards the general prosperity of these lands. Present wool values am by no means excessive ; in fact, are well below the avorago of the past 50 years, and are fully justified under existing trade conditions.