The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1915. THE WOOL CLIP.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3, 1 September 1915, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1915. THE WOOL CLIP.

. Tlie annual review of the wool blip For Australasia, issued by Dalgety'fl,' is Co hand. The review, which is in its seventeenth year of issue, deals comprehensively not only with the wool clip, but also with many branches of the wool industry. Naturally the war lias played a very large part in the j woolselling operations during the_past twelve months, and, as the report says, it was most unfortunate for Australia to concurrently experience ■ drought and war, which from August 1914 both expanded and increased in intensity. Everything was against the producer, and when the new clip became available, it was a difficult matter to convert the produce into cash. For some time, the wool sales were held up altogether, then when it was found possible to continue these on a modified scale, market conditions were far from satisfactory for merino wool,' which comprises the great bulk of the Australian, as distinct from the New Zealand clip. Furthermore, merino wool was not in much request, whilst all grades of crossbred wool, which was urgently wanted for the manufacture of army materials, sold remarkably well both in Australia and New Zealand. Figures given show that the average value for all the wool sold in Australasia has been £'l2 los 7d per bale, so that, taking the total produc-J tion as 2,421,297 bales, it will be seen that the value of the past year's wool clip was £30.942,108, which compares with £32,001,324, the record which was established i" 1913-1-1. Touching on future prospects the outlook for wool values, the Review says, is particularly bright. The war has led to the most unprecedented demands on the world's wool supplies, which factor, coupled with the revived trade, has forced prices for all but the most inferior wools,] to an extremely payable level. The continuance of the war throughout the approaching winter in the Northern Hemisphere must lead to a further ex-' pansion in the demand foi' army clothing, and an increase of the present high level of wool values. There are practically no large stocks of wool in any country, with the exception of Great Britain, but on the contrary, in ' most cases, the most sparse supplies. Added to this is the certainty of a very ; great falling oil' in the production of ' wool ill the Commonwealth this season, whih cannot fail to exercise a ' considerable effect on the market. It ! will thus be seen that matters in con- : nection with wool values are favorable ' to producing interests, which should ' experience good returns for the reduced clip that will be marketed in the ' forthcoming season. i '