THE LOSS OF WEIGHT IN WOOL

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 205, 16 September 1874, Page 2

THE LOSS OF WEIGHT IN WOOL

Mr. W. A. Brodribb, the President of the Riveriua Pastoral Chamber, has, says the Pastoral Times, gone to reside in London-, where he will re main until the end of the year 1875, principally to wateh the wool sales and the various mysterious operations connected therewith. If only a part of the malpractices said to exist thereat ara correct, Mr. Brodribb will have his hands full for the next eighteen months. Mr. Brodribb, in his circular, gives such data in reference to the losses of his own wool in transitu as ought to astonish those who have for years been sending theirs to London in the usual way. We will let Mr. Brodribb speak for himself: —“ On 440 bales of scoured wool sent by me to London market and sold during the year 1873, there was a difference between the Colonial weights and the landing weights of 21201b5., and between the landing weights and the selling weights of 2881b5., making a total of 24081b5., being at the rate of sJlbs. per bale. The clip of 1873 I consigned to my brother, who happened to be at that time in Europe, and I reached London before the bales were landed from the ship. By special arrangement a clerk was sent to see every bale weighed into the warehouse. The result, so far, has been very satisfactory. On 460 bales the landing weights exceeded the Colonial weights by 13691b5., or within a shade of 31bs. per bale. Both clips were weighed by my son at the Booligal Scouring establishment, and in both cases the wool was off the same sheep and their increase. If this surplus of 13691b5. be added to the deficiency on the 440 bales (namely, 24081b5.,) the total would make a loss on the clip of 1872 of 37771b5., which, valued at 2s 2d per lb., would make a money loss of £499.” In brief, when he sent home, unwatched, his wool shorn in 1872, he lost in the gross 24081b5. in weight, or at the rate of s|lbs. per bale. While he narrowly watched his clip of the year 1873, as detailed in his circular, the wool had increased iu weight 13691b5., or rather more than 31bs per bale. Wc may thus fairly claim Bjlbs weight of washed wool per bale as having been somehow or other “ spirited ” away, which confirms the assertion made in the Pastoral 'Jimis when the contest about these sales commenced. Admit that each pound of Mr. Brodribb’s wool was worth 2s 6d, and that the 250,1X10 bales, the gross quaiuty scut to twentyfour or twenty-six consignees in London, suffered as did Mr. Brodribb’s, there would be a clear yearly loss to the woolgrower of £250,000 (quarter of a million sterling). But as much of the wool was sent home unwashed, or at least, unscoured, this difference might safely be covered by £50,000, reducing the loss to the respectable figures of £200,000.