Review of the Wool Trade.

Manawatu Herald, 17 April 1894, Page 3

Review of the Wool Trade.

. » A very interesting return, showing the production of wool in Australasia, and its average value, from 1860 to 1892, has recently been prepared and published by the President of the Pastoralists' Union of New South Wales. In 18G0 187,000 bales were produced in Australasia, and these were valued at £25f per bale. Since that year the production has steadily increased — sometimes enormous strides have been made during the year, and at others the increarig jias been small. In only' one year "was there a decrease, and that was only a slight one. In 1892 the number of bales had risen to 993,000 bales, and in ten years more the production had reached 1,835,000. As to prices, fluctuation up to 1880, when the staple was worth £20£ per bale, has been very apparent. Thus from 1860 to 1869 the value per bale steadily declined from £25f to £15f . Then a marked revival took place, and in the three following years the values were £16f, £20£, and £26£. That was in 1872, and since then, with one or two slight recoveries, the staple has been on the downward grade, until in 1892, the value per bale was only £12. In 1872 the export (including that from the Cape) was 554,000 bales, of a total value of £19,670,000, and in 1886 the wool consisted of 1,196,000 bales, which were valued at £19,332,000. Thus the output was more than doub'ed, but the price realised was actually less.