HULL AND THE WOOL TRADE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 337, 26 October 1908, Page 5

HULL AND THE WOOL TRADE.

; A FEW FACTS FOR SHIPPERS. , r The 'following suggestive notes.: are by_the special Bradford correspondent of the Sydney " Morning Herald' . : " The respective Governments of Australia, particularly since..tlw constitution of, tho Commonwealth, have, 'consistently been endeavouring to open out new markets for their produce, and having regard to the keen competition -of foreign,, countries - more nearly situated to the United Kingdom- and .-to the growing expenses of transport by way of London, the part to which, {heir exports, are principally sentr-and it may bo said that the Port of London Bill at present beforo Parliament will ; tend materially to increase these expenses—they have .of - later years turried_ their - attention to the more northerly- ports as being nearer to the main industrial centres of tho country, from which a demaud for their' produce is likely'-to procced;'-'and' the visitof the ■ Agents-General in i October; 1905. was a direct biitcomeViif this policy. Mr. T..A. Coghlan; ' the Agent-General for - New South "Wales," gave their, impressions of the advantages, of the port-for the c.onduct of trade with Australia aiid ! Now Zealand in a-speech, and I-'am informed that representations, in conformity with the ;views expressed in that speech were subsequently made by each of the. Agents-General to his own particular Government. Mr. T. Price, the Premier of South Australia,'went to Hull, and spent two days there on March 31 and April 1 last, and I-. understand from subsequent conversation that he entertains a very high' opinion as to, the suitability an&-advantages; of • the port, and its equipment for the-conduct of trade with Australia aijd New .Zealand. _ , • " The waterways, communicating with the estuary of the Humber extend far into the. country in a northerly, - westerly, and southerly direction, and . flow past a large number of industrial centres, and the low transport charges levied by.tlie carriers on these waterways are'ireflected in the competing railway rates, so that I estimate that Hull, which' is perhaps the) cheapest of the larger, ports of the Itingdoni, serves- an area-populated by something! like ten'million persons by means of transport rates which.are cheaper than or as cheap as those obtaining to and from the three larger competing ports of' London, Liverpool (including Manchester),. and the Bristol Channel ports. Wool is by far the main export from : Australia, New Zealand, the ,Cape,': and the River Plate to this" country. " " The wool from Australia," New Zealand, South Africa, and the . River Plate into tho United Kingdom -may :'be' divided into ,two classes':—: " (1) That which is consigned .by shippers • ..' : to London' brokdrii and put in tho sales at the latter'port. " (2) That which: is purchased by buyers from the United Kingdom regularly attending (tlie sales in Australia, New Zealand, the Cape, and Buenos Ayres. ■ " Withireferen'ce.to tho.first of these- two glasses,' it may be said that' the .total wool imported ■ into London. in 1907 was 486,481,7821b.. As much a 5..91,606,13818. of this quantity came from the Cape of Good Hope .and Natal,, and as the; wool, sold at the London wool, sales "'comes' almost entirely from either the .Cape., of Good jHope, Natal, Australia, or New Zealand, it may be stated with' , practical certainty that the residue of 394,875,6441b. came from - Australia and New Zealand. The London- sales are attended by foreign buyers, and - about 40,.per cent.,' -of 157,950,2581b. of the weol bought there is reexported, principally,to Germany. Holland, Belgiunij France, .'and • America. This leaves 236,925,3861b. 'for, consumption in the United Kingdom; and, with' the exception of, a com-, paratively small amount which is sent to the . West of England, tho whole of this wool-is-Bent toVthe \Vest Riding and Scotland. - This latter wfrbl is convoyed-- from. London to the' Wes't Riding': either direct by rail-way-orife coasting vessel to Hull or Goole, and theft by inland -navigation. to' the 'West.. Riding. ttTHe. rail rate from London to is 30s. per ton. . From Hull it. is 15si per ton. The port charges in London for, collection, lawharf age,l warehousing,; ticketing, and exhibiting for sale, etc., are already very heavy-, and it is estimated that they are at least about': 10s. per ton in excoss of . those levied ;iri respect . of 'similar' servico and accommodation ,at Hull. The savingthe>refore in unnecessary transport charges which: would be effected by importing the wool bought on West Riding account and selling it in Hull instead of London would be 255.-per. ton on, say, 110,000 tons per annum, or £137,500 .per annum. The West Riding manufacturer has to face the increasing keen competition of his .foreign rival, and the present excess, .transport charges: on his wool from London, Tas '• comr: pared \y-ith those;.from London ,to.'the' Continent, must be a burden lof -a'.very , seri-1 ous character. . "As regards tho .second -point, ,'this is ■ bought by the West Riding buyers at the sales :in 'Australia, New Zealand, and Buenos' Ayres, and. is sent'through '.to • the West' Riding either via Hull, Liverpool,' or Manchester.'; The dock oharges* at Vand ■ railway rate from: Liverpool, as contrasted with those at : and from Hull, show" tib'out 7s. to Bsl;per Jton in favour: of' Hull';; whilst "as regards .'.Mana'chester it may bo . said that, although: the Ship' Canal Company. -are making'concessions froiii their schedule charges to an extent which- justified the belief that they are getting very little, if any, profit in the working of the business, it cannot for one moment be' looked upon,, having regard to the .difficulties, of access and delays, as being, so convenient a port from the point of view .of the buyers as Hull. "It is; strongly hoped, as. a result of the visit' of .the Agents-General;. ;the 'Premier of South Australia, aaid. the prospective visit of the, Premier of: Queensland , and other influential . authorities, that ' other- cargo from Australia, New Zealand, and the River Plate, such as frozen and chilled meat, butter, . cheese, corn,',.tallow, ..stearine, : dead rabbits,: wood, hemp, fruit, etc:, may ne shipped 'here as the most convenient and cheapest centro of distribution to tho busy populated centrcs of tho West Riding—for which' I may say ahiple cold storage exists in the port—in addition to such wool as is. bought in Australia and New Zealand, regular and frequent sailings of direct; stealers to and port of Hull may in the near future be brought about. "The above are a few points worth noting, and an impartial consideration of the facts and circumstances v must irresistibly lead one to the conclusion that if such an issue can be brought about it will lead to an •enormous saving iii "llie transport charges to the mutual advantage,of:the Australian, New Zealand, South' African,' and ;Argentino producer, and to the consumer in.this coiin-. try-"; . :