THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1910. A WOOL REPORT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 981, 26 February 1910, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1910. A WOOL REPORT.

The annual report, dated 31st December, 1909, of Messrs Jacomb, Son and Co., wool brokers, of London, is to hand. The chief points of the report are its references to the increased demand for wool in America, and the advisability—to put it mildly—of woolgrowers doing their utmost to prevent the presence of vegetable matter, and fibre, in the commodity, by the sale of which they make their money. Vegetable matter in wool has been attributed largely to the use of inferior packs, but there is reason to fear that this is not the sole cause, but that sheer carelessness and short-sightedness are largely responsible also. To revert, however, to the report, it appears that the total import of colonial wool into the United Kingdom during the past year has been 1,755,993 bales, as against 1,627,699 in the previous year; the direct shipments from the Colonies to the Continent and U.S.A. having been 956,000 bales, in 1909, J as against 710,500 in 1908. Messrs i Jacomb, Son and Co. allude to wnat ! must be a somewhat painful reminis- , cence with many sbeep growers when they remark:—"lt will ba remembered that during 1908 the judicious handling of supplies in London prevented anything like a panic in the wool market such as might other- | wise have occurred, owing to the

paralysis caused by the American I financial chaos. Taking advantage of ] the situation then created the mar-1 kets of the Commonwealth, as soon as the regular selling season commenc«d, became loaded with wools, all being pressed forward for early sale, with results which must have made many owners bitterly regret the impatience displayed to secure immediate returns, for here in London it became early evident that the year 1909 would witness confidence rapidly gaining ground, and, with all branches of the wool trade showing signs of coming activity and stocks in small compass, everything pointed to a year of healthy and remunerative trade. Such has proved the case, and with prices at the commencement of the year on a moderate basis we are enabled to report a steady rise in the price of raw wool practically through out the year." The report concludes as follows:—"This annual review cannot be closed without attention being called to the report issued early this year by the committee investiga- | ting the complaints of the presence i of vegetable fibre in wool caused by the using of inferior packs. A great deal of interest in the report has been taken by growers generally, and if the paper-lined tares chiefly recommended are found too expensive or difficult to manipulate in packing, much good might result if only superior canvas be employed and the inside carefully swept to free the loose fibres, and, if possible, siged in addition. Steps are now taken at the London warehouses to reduce to a minimum any damage there may exist in handling bales for their ' exposure to sale, such steps being felt to be due as some return for the increased attempts towards improveI ment that growers have been mak-