OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 267, 4 August 1908, Page 10

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

THE ENGLISH NEW CLIP. SOME STRIKING COMPARISONS. (FHOM . OUII SPECIAL CORHESrONDEXT.) Bradford, Juno 12. Juno marks the beginning of a new English clip, and our home woolgrowers aro on the qui vivo to know what is liKely to happen. It goes without saying that the slump in colonial crossbreds means a corresponding fall in similar wools of domestic growth, and already our Home farmers aro slinking their hoads ominously as they think of the great transformation which has taken place in the short space of twelve months. It is quite true to say that the unexpected ha 3 happened, and the exporienco of the trade since tho American financial crash of last October is without parallel in tho history of the wool trade. Millions havo been lost, and the wonder is that we have not had more gigantic failures both at Home and abroad. Tho present English season opens with some descriptions in comparatively small compass, more particularly Downs and good halfbreds, but, generally speaking, the stocks of English aro heavier than we have seen for some years, and it will be surprising if' there is a free movement this summer. Country dealers to-day find themselves in rather queer streets -as tliey face a new clip. Generally speaking, they are burdened with wool dearly bought, and naturally they are very reluctant at facing the heavy losses which would have to be encountered if they sold at to-day's rates. The mistake many have made is in not meeting the market and accepting tho prices bid. This would have meant a much less loss than many are now faced with, and so would have enabled them to buy at the coming fairs at a more reasonable 'rate. • . ' GREAT CHANGE IN VALUES. It'is a very commonplace thing to say that tho English wool clip to-day (important as it is to thousands of English farmers) is not of such first importance to tho consumer as the colonial .and River Plato clips. Tho cross--bred wools of New Zealand and the Argentine to a very large extent detormino the prices of British-grown wool, and tho changes, here seen aro tremendous. At the March and May series of London sales, 1906, high-water mark was reached for the crossbred wools of New. Zealand, English wools selling at the .summer fairs that year at the highest point siiice 1872. Last year good prices were made by our Homo woolgrowers,' but really speaking the fall in English wools, has been gradual since 1900,. while latterly a perfcct'slump has taken place. Nothing better can be done as showing the course of values, than by giving tho reader the actual prices paid in London at tho colonial sales for well-laiown, New Zealand clips-.at the.March and May series; 1906, and what tho samo clips havo sold for at. the corresponding series, 1908.

March March, ; • or' May, or Mny, v ' . 1900. 1908. Fleece. Fleece;, ; • wools, wools. • Mart d. d. Gladbrook ... _ IGJ 11J Ardmore 1 ... Ifii M Crook and Bundlo '.... 161 91 : ; Olrig ; ... ... ... 151 '91 • Humming. Beo ... ... 1G 9t ' Crossed keys 1G 10 - ' , Balmoral ... ... ..... 16 13 ■Mokopeka 161 13 . Titi , ... ~.. 15J : ..81 ... Gwavas ... ... ... 15 i 0 Claverley ... ... 16 ■ 10 Howard , ....'• ./. , ... 15 101 Anchor ... ... 15 ; 7 Hin (lag " ... ...' ... 121 53 Cx K ... ... ... ... 131 05 L over The Warren ... 161 12 MT>ona]d Downs ... ... 10 • 101 ' Otairi ... ... 15 7| Mooraki ... 1 151 ' 101 Cheviot' Hills... ' 151 ' 101 '. Acland ... . ... 15 104 Hakainr.tmea ■ — 16 11 Tuki Tuki „. ... „. 16 • 10 The above contains food for thought for every grower of English wools, and shows very conclusively what can be expocted when English fairs open in regard to prices. - Although at the-present series of London, sales, • prices for crossbreds finished }d. per lb. better than in March, still thero has been practically no response in Bradford, the yarn and piece trade continuing depressed, with machinery being in many eases little more than half run. Most spinners are running only four days per week, consequently the outlook is nothing near so bright as it might bo. • Ono hardly knows what to advise growers to do for the. best, but with very large stacks in London and trade indifferent,. there is not much prospect of to-day's prices being, improved upon. The. old adage.'to ."sell and repent, but 'sell," has been sound advice during rocent years, but whether things will mend : by wool being withheld or otherwise, it is most difficult to 6ay. The'oourso: of- I prices since last, shearing is an important .'item to 'all English growers, and in the. following- table I have outlined' how the various qualities' have' sold ■ since ' the highest point was touched, * The . reader will sea that tho quotations • are given/at, the'beginning; of each season' for the past . two years, tho-figures being for good,' well-classed ' parcels in Bradford:— June 1, Juno 1, Juno 1, Description. 1906. 1907. 1903. " ' ■ • d. d. d. Lincoln hogs _ „ ... 14J 13}, 8 Lincoln wethers.J. .... 13$ 12J 7} Yorkshire hogs, best ... 15 14 gj North hogs ... ... ... 151 M 10 North wethers ... .... 15 13} 8J Half-bred hogs (Mid. Counties) 15 13- 9 Half-bred wethers •■ „ ... Ml 121 8 ' Eastern Counties Down tegs 15} 13J gj Norfolk half-bred hogs ' _' 15 ■ 13 9 Shropshire hogs ... _ „ 15J 145 10 Shropshire. wethers „ „15 14 9J Southdown tegs _ •)„ 1G 15J 12J Super Stafford hogs _ _ 15 14 91 Super Stafford wethers „ 141 131 9 Hampshire Down tegs 151 15 11 Dorset Down tegs ... ... 151- 15 11 Kent wethers ... 14 13 8 Irish hogs, selected 15} 13! ' 8 Irish wethers, selected ...j 14J , 12iJ 7J, Wiltshire Down tegs ... 151 HI 11} Devon greasy ... 10J 9 55 i Vosh -12 101 6 Kadnors 13 n 7 Cheviots ■ ... 141 101 •' qi Scotch Black-faced 9 9 5-

. COURSE OF PRICES. Wool markets show no change when compared with a weok ago, holidays interfering with business during the earlier part of this week. The following table shows the full C9UMO of prices during the last month, and gives the general asking prices of sellers 'today:— April May May Juno _ ... 24 8 22 12 Description d; d. d. d. Lincoln hogs DJ 9 8} 8} Lincoln wethers 9 8} 7} 71 North hogs .....; ill 10} 10 io North wethers 91- 9 81 81 Lincoln wethers 9J 9 81 SI Yorkshire hogs 11 10| 9J 9} Yorkshire wethers 9J 91 81 gj Half-bred hogs _— 101 10 9 9 Half-bred wethers 9J 9 8 8 Kent wethers 9} 9 8 8 Eastern Counties Down ' . tegs 10} 10J 9J 9} Eastern Counties Down ewes 101 10 9J 9 Irish hogs, super 10} 9} 9.9 Irish wethers, super 10 9. 8} 81 Pick Shropshire hogs 11 10} .10 10 Pick Shropshire wethers 10? 10 • 9} 9J Southdown'tegs 13} 13 12} 12} Southdown ewes .... 13? 121 12 12 Wiltshire Down tegs ...... 121 12 111 111 Wiltshire Down ewes ... 12 1H '11 11 Cheviot hogs, super 10} 10 91 9} Scotch blackfaced G 51 5.5 Turko.v average mohair 17 IGJ ■16 1G Capo firsts mohair 111 H 101 10 70's Colonial tops 2-1- 22 24 24 64's „ ... 23 21 23 23 GO's ' „ super... 211 20 21} 21} 56's „ „ ' ... 18 17 18 18 50's ~ „ ... 151 15 151 15 46's ~ „ ... 11 10} 12 11} 40's 1, „ ... 8} 8 10} 10 38's „ „ ... 8 7} 9} 91 32's .. ... 8 7} 9 9

Messrs. A. L. Wilson and Co. insert in our auction columns full particulars of tlieir weekly salo of furniture to bo held in tlieir rooms ' to-morrow, commencing at 11 o'clock: Tiio cataloguo for to-morrow's sale is a lengthy ono of over 400 lots, and buyers are specially rc(| nested to nolo tlio hour of sale, 11 o'clock. Thi) salo is advertised-as entirely unreserved; Tlio fnm will soil, on the same day, at 2.30 li.iii., 20 casks of stukalitc plaster of Paris, and ono fourteenth share in a mortgage held by tho Wilton Estate, particulars of-which are in tho advertisement. On Friday, August 7, they will hold a salo of superior household furnituro at the rcsidonco of Mrs. Ayrcs, the entire contents of a well-furnished sk-roomed house in Liffoy Crescont, Island Bay. Tho 6ale will commence at 11 o'clock. ' On Friday, August 14, the samo firm will. soil, by • order of tho Public Trustee,-in tho estate of Aniiie arid Eberiezer Gray, four' houses' in Oliver Street (late John Street), Newtown, which must be m oider-to wind, .up, tlie estate.