YORKSHIRE LETTER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 187, 27 April 1918, Page 10

YORKSHIRE LETTER

WOOL AND TOPS TO BE DEARER (From Our Special Correspondent.) Bradford, February 28. The shipping problem is naturally one of grave dillieulty, and everything, indicates that the day ia not far distant when wool arrivals will, become materially less. It is known that cargoes at sea aro considerable, fully up to the average ot the past six months, but perhaps that is not saying a great deal. What concerns the trade most is the future of supplies, and this notwithstanding me fact that thero are perhaps not any very urgent needs to be supplied at the moment. Unfortunately, a huge blunder has been made, and if the advice the writer tendered last October had been accepted thero would have been no shortage of combing wools such as exists to-day. There will bo a day of reckoning somo time, and to those with a lifelong connection with the trade the wonder is that the entire industry has got through as well as it has. This is solely due to tho adequate wool supplies which have come into this country hitherto, but in view of the submarine menace and the weekly loss of a dozen ships, it is disappointing to know that thero is a suporaoundauce of supplies of' short, clothing, faulty wools, and a shortage of combing descriptions. It only needed an- tlementary knowledge to see that the consumption of combing merinos and crossbrecls would be tremendously heavy, I'ar greater than that of clothing wools. The writer saw this contingency four months ago, and warned the omeials, but they neglected to take cognisance, of the situation, consequently the trade has now been officially advised of a shortage in combing wools. Instead of bringing home, as all know to be tho case, three hales of combing wools to two of clothing, the proportion should have been at least four to five bales of combing to one of clothing, and there would now have been stocks available to satisfy all the requirements of tho woollen and worsted industries. Freight to be Less. Tho trade has now been 6enii-officially informed that there is to be a marked shortage in freight, the writer beiug told this week that no wool or mohair is to be brought from the Cape for at least two months. This has been a great blow to the mohair trade in particular, for there will be standing machinery in a fortnight, all for the want of the raw material. 1 entirely uphold the attitudo of tho Shipping Controller in preserving all freight available for bringing home foodstulis, for, as one oi/ioial .aptly put it last week, the demands ol tne stomach are always louder then ihose of the back. Present stocks of ran material clearly indicate the better position of tne uuolien ! industry compared with ilie worsted, and if the worst comes lo the worst it will i be a question of woollen yarns being spun j in sufficient quantity and a portion handed over to worsted., manufacturers to bo I used in conjunction with worsted warps, j The freight question is naturally a very j big one, there beiug so much space ab- ! sorbed in shifting to tho theatres of war ! both food supplies and ammunition re- i quired for military operations. There is ! every likelihood of a certain proportion j of combing merinos and crossbreds being I brought from Australasia; even 20.000 to j 30,000 bales per month would help to 1111 j up tli2 gap. As already indicated, tho i woollen trade is in a position to look well i after itself for the next nine months, j hence, all available freight should be oc- ! cupied in bringing to this country no- I thing but combing wools. ] Prosneot of Higher Prices. j Although there is do official announce- j raent on the subject, yet in very well in- I formed circles it ia asserted that for the next rationing period, which begins on April 1 and extends to July 31, both wool i and tops arc to be invoiced at higher | prices. There have been indications of this for the past three weeks, and I am | reliably informed that the whole quostion ; is being seriously riscussed in London, I and everything indicates a new schedule i of values for both merinos and crossbreds I as well as British wools. I understand ; that the principle being followed is that l proportionately higher prices will he I charged for merinos than crossbreds, the | coarsest descriptions showing tho least i advance and the finest, classes the highest. I It will b? remembered that for the „ur- j rent rationing period prices for tops show- j ed an average advance of 10 per cent, and j there is every likelihood of the new scale . carrying prices still higher, although 'tho j Department will make no attempt to jus- i tify in the least a new scale of values. As i a matter of fact, it simply issues the list i and the trade knows it must accept it, the Department being in a position to dictato whatever values it thinks fit.

Its Effect Upon crowers. From all one hears in responsible wool circles the recent trouble among South African woolgrowers has been duly noted, and while no ope is apprehensive of seeing a repetition of the same circumstances in Australasian wool-growing circles, it. shows clearly enough the power of growers. It is not too much to say that any further ri6e in the t rice of wool or tops at this eud will bo dulv noted amonggrowers, and unless the writer is greatly mistaken the Imperial authorities will have to pay Australasian gnncrs a little more when they come to purchase the next clip. Some seem staggered at the very thought of the Imperial authorities even attempting to purchase the next colonial clip, but one hardly thinks the war will be over soon enough to prevent that taking place. Then, too, the (Government is certain to control the destination of all Empire-grown wool for six to twelve months after tho cessation ot hostilities, and perhaps the greatest good Will be done by the British Governuieut acquiring another Australasian clip. Of course, it will have to oiler terms satisfactory to growers, and it can well afford to pay sioremoney. One does uoi, want to write ahylTiing that is not In perfect harmony with actual facts, and every wool textilo man at this end feels that Australasian pastoralists have played a noble part. Great credit is due to them for handing "over their fleeces at a price sensibly, below: w hat they wouhl bring to-day in an open market. Nobody begrudges the Department the Panasonic profits which have f.een made, but the vexatious restrictions which 'have been imposed, resulting in the putting out of business of an army of importers and wool merchants, are to-day a source of great dissatisfaction. However, everybody is loyally submitting to thin inconvenience while the war is on.

The American Orders, There is still no rfficial announcement regarding tnc prospective American orders which aro to be placed among British manufacturers, and I expect no statement until the orders arc actually given out. However, it is known that some bulky weights have been asked for liy Washington officials, and I doubt if negotiations are still complete. Leicester hos'lery manuiacturers are engaged in tho production of considerable quantities of underwear hosiery fabrics, all by way of renewals, and khaki cloths aro to be tackled. It is common gossip among manufacturers that the Cloth Department in Bradford, which is responsible lor giving out orders and making the stuff, [ wanted. Washington to be satisfied wuli British khaki, which is good enough for : any man, and American mills would be .; gladly allowed to make avcrythiug their ; own troops require if the question of freight Were not a very important one. Bo long as our Government undertakes to satisfy all demands by way of renewals, that is all our American friends can expect, and they must have regard to the question of raw wool supplies, because, there, is undoubtedly a shortage of combing merinos and crossbreds, which are all wanted and absolutely essential for the making of khaki cloths. America is in a better position for obtaining raw wool than Great "Britain, and, therefore, 1 hope'the officials of the Cloth Section of the Washington Government will acquiesce, in the reasonable request of our Cloth Department, i.nd allow American troops to wear standard khaki cloths such as are being worn by the rank-and file of British regiments.