WOOL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4406, 4 May 1875, Page 3

WOOL.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir —The importation from Australia, the Cape of Good'Hope, and Rio Plata, into Europe and the United States of North America, of fine wools

Imperfect as this statement is known to be,.it will, however, show how very largo a proportion of fine wool is supplied by the Rio Plata, and establishes tho great importance of the Australian colonies being furnished with full, regular, and uniform statements of the supply, and direction in which sent, of the wool-producing but not manufacturing countries. Mark, this only states wools sent from certain countries. Other wools go elsewhere direct from other countries, besides to England, to which went of such in 1873, 127 millions, and in 1874, IXBJ millions of ■pounds, as per London Customs’ statements. By the London Customs statements, England had left at the end of 1874, of imported wool, in excess of 1873, 4,600,000 (four millions and six hundred thousand pounds), and her home clip exceeded 1873 by 1,600,000 (one million six hundred thousand pounds), together 6,200,000; but she exported in 1874, of home clip, three millionsin excess of the prior year, leavingin England an Increased supply of only 3,200,000 —a percentage upon her home clip and imported wool at her disposal of about 1 per cent. only. Her clip per fleece was at 6lbs. average, against 61bs. 2ozs. in 1873. There is continued complaint by tho English woollen manufacturers that their trade is not sufficiently profitable to yield present prices for wool, yet their coal is cheaper, machinery not ’ dearer, money as cheap, and skill as great as on tho Continent, where labor is said to bo lower in cost ; but to what extent jt affects the cost of production ! have never met with any statement. It is, however, evident that the English manufacture has nearly ceased to increase, judging by the quantity of wool retained in 1874. Yet the average price of fleece-washed Australian wool, of five years ending IS6S, was Is. 10d., and of five years ending 1873 was Is. Hid.; and England’s export, tram twelve millions of pounds value in 1860, rose to 32£ millions in 1872. Belgium increased her import of wool almost fourfold between 1860 and 1871. France nearly doubled her imports and exports in the same period, and the United States imported, in 1871, nearly three times the wool they did in 1860, but did not export manufactured goods. England is a larger importer and traushipper of the woollen yarn which tho staple of woollen export of both France and Belgium. This increases her trade but not manufacture, and shows, too, that woollen yarn is cheaper on the Continent than in England. There was catalogued at last February sale 220,000 bales It is reported there will be at May sale .. .. .. .. 400,000 ~ Suppose third sale be like August last year .. .. .. -- 260,000- ~ Suppose fourth sale be like November last year 90,000 „ 970.000 bales Last year there was catalogued at the four sales .. .. .. •• 800,000 ~ 170.000 bales Of course, there is no probability of any such increase- Last year, at first sale, there was offered 140.000 bales, and the 50,000 more offered this year will not be forthcoming again, so that to make up, 174.000 more bales must arrive in time to allow of such an immense number being offered at the May sale. Though it may be possible, it is not probable ; but should it take place, then the third and fourth sales must, compared with last year, be very small—the fourth particularly so, for Sydney date of 9th April states that the export up to that period from New South Wales had not equalled that of the prior year, and that shipment of wool for the season had nearly’terminated. Last year New South Wales sent to England 9000 bales more than in 1873. Nor do we hear of any large increase in any of the colonies, and wc know that, the delivery in Europe from Rio Plata was expected to be 8 per cent. less than in the prior year. Add to the 9000 less from New South Wales the estimated 16,000 more this year sent than last year direct to the United States from Australia and New Zealand, and it is nearly certain this year there will not be offered in London the cumulative increase of last year. If the increase be stated at 8 per cent., 864,000 bales is the quantity—so that with January sale and May sale of 400,000 bales, 240.000 bales will remain for August and November sales only, and I doubt even that quantity forthcoming, I will conclude by correcting an error I have made about cotton, in stating the United States crop was 4,000,000 bales just before the rebellion. On reference, I find it was estimated at 4,000,000. Reading a volume of Mr Bright’s speeches, I found ha stated in Parliament that a gentleman told him during the rebellion that ten years after it was over tho United States would produce more wool than ever before. And this prediction is confirmed, for in 1873 the crop was estimated at 4£, and last year at 4$ million bales. —I am, &c., Samuel Re vans. Woodside, SOth April.

Millions of Pounds. 1872 1873 1874 Total from all above places 448 470 490 Deduct from Australasia and Cape of Good Hope, as by London m 180 225 Customs’ statements Remainder from Rio Plata 275 284 205 Deduct assumed to have been im78* 75| ported by United States no Remainder assumed to have been .205* imported by Europe 1G5 189*