YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2016, 25 March 1914, Page 11

YORKSHIRE LETTER.

HIGHER PRICES MAINTAINED, tftm Ow Spseial Carrwjranfeits.) , Bradford, Fctowy 13. Wo are face to i'aco oneo More with conditions which cannot but be regarded as owtffi in harmony with our views of what trade should be, and after tho excitement of Inst; week vro α-ro able to see mere clearly where things stand. It is now evident from what source the impetus eanjo, and what it has left hetad, It simply amounts to Bradford tt.pmakfrrs and spinners having swung round, and got more into harmony with the outside world, and whether West Hiding users have been the objects of attempted bluff by those who during tiib ■ past four months have criticised them for not competing more actively in colonial markets for Wool, is purely »nd simply a matter of persona] opinion. Some think Bradford Iras niatfe a mess of things and missed the bus, and is to-day having to pay the penalty for looking at things in . such a pessimistic and gloomy fashion. Mere may bi> seme justification far taking that view, but as a tiite the average Yorkshireman prefers to look before he leaps, and even to-day users - anticipate being able to buy as cheap wool in London at the ensuing series of sales, jnst the sariie 43 those did during tho first fire or,six weeks of the selliiis season in Australia. In ' β-ccemircr as well α-s January tlicise wfto confined their operations. to Ooiomau Street- secured raw material or a distinctly cheaper basis ■ titan Australia provided, and that aloiio -gave satisfaction. ,Gt' course, the price- of tops had tomedown m the interval, and ji.ow that the raw material has been disposed of in the. colonies, Mid with users realising the Gir-curnsta-.nce, they have scooped' down and ravenously devoured the. available supplies of" ijo-t.fi wool and tons in \Vor? stedopolis. 'j'lie result is that everywhere tlio aa-jket presents a very dif-fere:]jt-ap.t!eata.ttce -from what it <UtT when the- year openc-d, antl the ri-so has bce» a pretty sharp, ono. Export Houses Caught Napping, liv.lderioe- has accumulated this last t'eff days to show clearly that "btos 1, - have been eattglrt napping, especially several Bradford, houses -cn-gasioc! in doing aft export trade with the clifferont coiurtries' in Europe. -Wo know for S- fact that every cja-ss erf yarns csportccl to the Cbirtinoni has boen offei' sd at riclictilmis prfeos t 'rangiDß From Id. to I'y.l. per fe.j. muler hvhui skinners would take at tho time sales were made. We knmv for a fact thrtt sororel firms h-av-e actually sold :l-39's at 7s, 7J<l. per givjss in tho hope-"of- being able to cover the soles at 7s. 6d tJ if not be-

Ion", ' Bo roeciitly as tfaroo weeks ago spiiiitcrs wSM'ft boiiag bitl the In.ttoy prteo, and even this da.y two'woelis ago one : «rf tli* biggest lirins was mstr prepared' to. pay 7s. Tijd, Tlic sfiiiwer producing , this standard deini Iwlre yarn refusal to accept sacli.il low price, and two. days after the earn© firm paid the spiii-'.l nor fts. per gross, wlio is now fir'ni' at ] Bs. 3ft Aa~a matter til' foot, tiro <?s--| port hoiisiss had already sold )>ig weights J rtfe 7s. ?id.,-aiul having. Jvad ie-cover at : ■Bs. they are -cmjfi'ftnietf with' aiv- ti-fl».; comfortable toss. Wl'iat is business if , there is no profit -attadiect to it? Two market mon were, dismissing the situation only yesterday, and -on©-remarked j that they ]md done a' httgb , J&USfitfiss,' during the-past three weeks, hut flpo.ft ■the other prohing thi.Rgß.to flits bottom .the first speaker had his firm had not jnsitlo it'fraction' profitj and said to eettctede: that he was. tittej , - ly. dismasted witß'' : w.hat-41iey lia;d. -been fbre<?d"td>rl6 i Tliostf wf(p' havb , b#n cehtiDwoiisiy selling forward ■ for a foil have ins Of pit-, a,ud to-tllay tliey ar.fi in it tliomstlvoe passttg: tlironSh a very uiTContfoiitabfe exptrienfto. Wlneii Bradford tries to convince, herself that sho is the only' determining ■ factor. in tlio wool niaikots af the, work), slie k tryinn; to do something w]i.ioli ia iwpO'S-Si-bic', aftd after the bitter cxperitnioo of the past month Bradford has at last woke up tt> a«.aliso that there affe others outside who afp playing an important part in deciding tho ■ course, of wool ■ valutis. Full Malntehanoo of the filss, This wefek there h&i be6.ii less actual business put through, tot all-flare sa-mo there is a full maintensncfe of tho improved position seen a. weok ago, fnd last iveefe's rise is very strongly iij tvide'iiee. Merinos have fed a Mxt sharft of inquiry, thefe hjive, been sgine belated sales, bat not by any inoail.s tjse same i weight' turned over as was the case last week. Neithef could it ■ ija expeoiod. A godd .many spjiiHcrs have bought enough to ffieet all .their requirements up to-next June s several w» could nairte bring so cftiivinee4 that there is bo cheapei wool in sight that thoy have.dene a/littjo speculation. It wiuflOt ho said there has been Any. -srfM liuytfsg.- The situation has been c&ve* hilly iind judiciously watched, iikjiij hav* arsucd that wool still- advancrna in Australia showed that the -rlmnand was larger than apJJeared mi tho surface., and with more business being doiie by loeal spiiuiers and manufacturers, tomny. matte irp theif niintfe to anticl■fjato the future hy placraft soine finrty good dan tracts with topm-ake.t's.. We n'fo jjlact that this' i$ so, ■ for. it niesais a continttatice of healtiry cohsumjs : tion now for some months, mi to all appeal" ances. tliero h little prospect- of there being any setback whatever: We thiflk it is possible to-day to pick wp an averagfe 64's top a.t 2s. 4J.d.j with delivery for April, Slay, and though the majority .are demanding 25, , 3d,, ami some are actually asking up to Us, old, ■Of course tie baft of the preseiri -sales have taken pliiee in tile lWnghbourhocid of 2s. 4d.j a.ml: «-o shmild say that the largest part of the tasiness tloue for the camittg season has been put througli at -2s. 3i«.1. m 2s. 4d. ( . although tliG latest .transaetMH-s have all been at i 2s. 4id. and tfpwitrds, The matij paint' to jwtkeis tliattop.ma.kers ami spin-, nws are not committed to confiide-rabte forward feusiuess, and if' tlie piece- end reniajns a.s snfcEsfnctoTj! as m.in.y are iiopinftV tho Wsst ftidiisg is in for a decent seasait's ttatle. There are 'stiH many oomplaints that lost week's.uwve was largely a sjsSctilafive onc,-tte maj.ofity bujina oi.t forward atcomit Jar foar of both wool and tops being dearer, Not a few a-re still croaking and stating that in a fortnight's iiHio the thing v.-ili out, but iliat ivo fail to sec. We caraa-ot- pxpeat acth** markets *vptj; v,\iek, but we a.vi? pertain there iyiß he no cessation of hnyitiSi a»'d the ;majority have now in.ac.io tro- th.oir umvh that we shall son dearer wool in Marcli bath for mwiiaos ami crassbretls, tho g-otiefal Miiprc-aion 'favouring an allround advance of Jd. •

Healthy Amerisan Ttstei CVinstflurnbk , satisfaction is expressed in Urmlford. trade ejrolra at ih.«> (jll-round os'iianiiion in the' trade timt is k-in« dona with the United States. Ameri* can clients ivcro- noott advised of tiie spurt in Bradford a uwk mp, and ma«.V rejxiiided liy cabJirtg oilers both for wool, tops, yarns, mid oven piece Rooiis, SOHIB xnakiftE Ws wliich hnd io to turned down on account β-f being too little. Wk-ei'p ordt-r.s could bn tnit through Un\y \rere done so in nrder to .make sum of t,J-io btuiiioss, but \vt: know for.a fact tlust «« both iiKrino r>!:id nussbi'cd ivoo!, iwrtieulafly tlws isitttr, an advance of Id, por'H*. jva-ft ffcqueiitiv 'paid on. tho prices- realised hist London sates. Mere than β-no tot> t-i-wiker landiog Buones Ayres crossbreds had made even Id. per ib, profits and Ate know one .party that lias secur-oel tfi-tiveo-n £8 and £t sterling per hate «i some--, faifiy bit; weiffhts of Duettos Ayres erossbreds which have been sf>M to a United States Of course, a

Buenos Ayrce crossbred bale w«?igfis en average nearly three, times''that of a ■ colonial bale,; and this should not bo lost sight of. At tin) same linic, ivheii topmaters arc liable to maito a full id. per lb. clear profit they are jjoi-na to think twice before combing their wool. Further important sales'have also been effected both iti tops and yarns, and the outlook for Bradford across tho Atlantic is, to say the least-, a distinctly. miproVmjj; one. It is rather noteworthy that Ja'st month Bradford, Leeds, and Hmfclcrslielrt shipped double the quantity of stuff goads thai they did the ffiojitl previous, a cl«w proof thai the. West Riding has still a 'ioM on the Anierieati market. Coiisiderablo quantities. of worsted' coatings as well as ■ serges and tow woollens, have been placed, and its far jjs ssno can make- out there is a full maintenance <sf the trade in linings ns well as staff goods, all of _ which moans activity for West Ridi»K mills. Of coarse, the- advance in worsted yarns means that, many firms are Imv*. frtg to put up their quotations }<1. to Id. . tier yard, but if this is done hv Bracl- : lord manufacturers, it Sri.fl also have to be by those in America, as they too are faced with a. p-r-osjieet of dearer wool.