CROSSBRED WOOL.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19769, 6 November 1929, Page 13

CROSSBRED WOOL.

MARKET POSSIBILITIES. SELLING BETTER THAN MERINO. Discussing the market fur crossbred wool and the possibilities of the new Dominion clips, our Bradford correspondent, writing on September 26th, says that there is altogether a brighter picture when |ood straight clips of either New Zealand. Australian or South American crossbreds are sold. True, fine classes are 10 per cent, below July, but whatever the decline, there is plenty of demand for the wool, there being no hesitation on the part of I'uvers. All classes of crossbreds—gr< as*, slipe and scoured —sell quite readiiv. these wools being taken Ly Home' and Continental buyers, even a few lots going to America. Bradford buyers talk a great deal about a readjustment of values for crossbreds being needed to bring them into line with merinos, but they will have to fall a further 15 to 20 per cent, before this is accomplished, and such a decline is verv unlikelv at this juncture. Some crossbred spinners havp made yp their minds not to buy any more tops until prices fall, their contention being that it is impossible fur crossbred tops to remain where they are very much longer in view of the big drop th:,t has taken place in merinos. The possibility of the ease coming about when rhe N. w Zealand and South American clips begin to be offered in bulk is also emphaaiaed, bat even if a revision of ghees

is inevitable, it is not desirable for it to come about suddenly. Xo doubt i*rr>?sl>reds could stand a sharp drop better than merinos so far as buyers and users are concerned, for low sorts would not bo selling so well now it' there were any big stocks on hand. It need not be inferred that crossbred wool is holding its own, for there has been an ease in Ltondon during the past week, though it is quite covered by •' per cent., and this is nothing compared ■with what has happened in merinos. ' rossbred tops of all qualities are also slightly easier, this being due to the forcing tactics whi<-h spinners are pursuing. The direct cause for any readjustment which conies about in crossbred values is. however, likely to be due to a change in fashion. Merino wool having become so cheap, consumption will increase and more people will begin to wear botany goods. Among the lonely I'eebleshjre hills, near the source of the Tweed, is a little corrugated iron hut. measuring 4} by 3} yards. This is Tweedhopefoot School, which the Peebleshire Authority have just, after due consideration, deeded to keep open. It seat' 12 pupils, but at present only six attend. The youngest, six years of age, has to *aik over three mile* to school.