DEMAND FOR WOOLLEN GOODS

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 65, 17 March 1915, Page 6

DEMAND FOR WOOLLEN GOODS

PRICES MUST ADVANCE. AUSTRALIAN BUYER IN DOMINION. ORDERS FOR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, ARMY SUPPLIES REQUIRED. It is quite evident that while the war lasts the demand for woollen goods will be preeedentedly heavy, consequently the outlook Ls very good for sheep farmeri, and the reverse for consumers in New Zealand. Some idea of tlhe extraordinary demand due to the war may be gathered from the fact that amongst the passengers who arrived by the Riverrna was a buyer on behalf of bhe Federal Government of Australia, whose object was to secure Army supplies. Mr. F. 1L Leonard, representative in Auckland of the Bruce Woollen Mills. Milton, when seen this morning by a representative of the "Auckland Star." furnished the following interesting facts. ''It is quite true." be remarked, "that o buyer on behalf of the Federal Government arrived by the Riverina, and if his demands are supplied, it will mean a big rise in the price of woollen goods. He hae placed in my hands orders for the following goods required from New Zealand: (16.000 navy sweaters. 212.000 knitted underpaid, 200.000 knitted shirts, 240,000 pains of socks, and no lees than 1.112.000 yards of flannel. The flanne': alone would cost £60,000 at ordinary prices, but apparently cost does not count with this order. Of course no one mill in the Dominion can supply such an order, and it is questionable if the whole ten could. QUESTION OF PATRIOTISM. "'file position in New Zealand is that the mills produce for the requirements of the Dominion. The proprietors of the mills are patriotic enough to give our Defence Department's orders preference, but the question of patriotism goee a little further. Surely it is our duty, as far as we can. to see that the whole British Army is supplied with what is required. At the present time merchants and millers aTe putting up with inconvenience and loss of trade in order to supply requirements of our own forces, but this demand Doming from Australia accentuates the position considerably. If it is supplied it will mean greatly curtailing what will be wanted in the Dominion. There can only be one end for it. The prices for all woollen goods wifl liecnme so high as to be almost prohibitive." COTTON MIXTURE WANTED. Tbe Federal Government is prepared to to-ke goods with a ten per cent, mixture of cotton, as the articles will wear better, but here millers are faced with the fact that New Zealand has a duty of 4d per lb on raw cotton, which effectually shuts that material out. 1 think it may l*> necessary for the Government to lift that embargo, and troopships returning from Egypt might bring supplies of cotton, or it could be got from the Society Islands. WHY SUCH LARGE ORDERS. ~" Apparently the demand for woollen j goods during a war in trenehea will be out of all proportion to that of ordinary conditions. You see the men go into | the advanced trenches for four days in mud and snow, then they are in reserve trenches for two days, where they never get a <*tancc of a wash. After that, when they come back to the base for two days rest, they require a complete 'change of clothing. In most cases the socks are done. In fact, a complete change is required for each man, every eight days. This is a serious matter,, when we alone have a million men in j the field, and the armies of Germany and our Allies must also have similar requirements. Lord Kitchener lias al- | ready referred to the shortage of some supplies, and apparently this will also; include woollen goods.