YORKSHIRE LETTER

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 69, 15 December 1919, Page 14

YORKSHIRE LETTER

REMARKABLE PRICES PAID FOR SPOT MERINOS (From Our Special Correspondent.) Bradford, October 9. Since writing last, another series of London soles have como to a iinish, unci, viewed from any standpoint, the results must bo .regarded as excellont. l-.ie buying strength which has boon exhibited is really remarkable, particularly in view of tho big stocks of raw uiatoiwl which, havo yet to bo marketed. Tho Septembor series look like being > a rocoi'u, us. Id. per lb. having been paid for Queensland greasy combing wool. It «iiuiot havo been appraised at more t'han Ml., and although tho Government lias been charged with profiteering, yot such a charge falls to tho ground in view of tho fact that tihis price was made by public auction. Throughout the songs wool.-, showing length of stnplo have been most wanted, and tlio value of this characteristic even in merinos was never more in evidence than is the case to-day. I'lic writer has seen a sample of Murray Downs Spectacles, tho merino clip that previously held the record when it sold at 70J<1. for grease combing. This wool certainly showed good sitpur GO's to M's quality—tho majority would class it no more than super GO's-but til'.o redeeming feature was a four-inch staple. Even the lot that made 6s. lfli'd. was burr}-, but tho length and soundness of the staple callyd forth tho attention and the buying power of the American buyer who was responsible f.or paying tiho price. The writer maintains that there are a dozen West Victorian clips far superior in quality and in breeding to Murray Downs, which had they been on show would have realised the samo price, it not more. For general excellence, such clips as lit. Sturgeon, Cal Cal, Mt. Bute, Eurambeue, Curngham, Hopkin Hills nro better-bred wools, which, given tho samo length of staple, would spin to finer counts than any Riverinn clip. All' tlio same it is ft very creditable record for tho Murray. Downs clip, and certainly stamps it as good, commercial wool. Final Results. We give below a table showing the results compared with the previous series: Australasian Wool. Per lb. dearer, d. Greasy merino, superior 8 Greasy merino, averajro to good 4 Greasy merino, poor condition .. 3 Greasy merino, in. locks 4 pieces 1 Scoured merino, superior li Scoured merino, average to good 10 Scoured merino, inferior : 1) Scoured merino, faulty locks and pieces 3 Greasy merino, lam|)9, superior 3 Greasy merino, lambs, medium . 1J Greasy merino, lambs, inferior pur Greasy crossbred, line superior . 4 Greasy crossbred, line, ordinary, 2 ' Greasy'crossbred,.medium, sup. 3 Greasy crossbred,"medium, old. M Greasy crossbred, coarse, super. - por Greasy crossbred,.coarse, ord. .. j^nr Greasy crossbred, lambs, super. 3 Greasy crossbred lambs, ordinary ' 1} fcourcd crossbred, fine 5 Scoured crossbred, medium and coarse 1 to 3 Slipc crossbred, fine 3 Slipo cross, medium 1 Slipe crossbred, coarse par Greasy Puntiis Arenas, well-eon-ditioneu" 2 to 3 Greasy Puntas Arenas, wasty ... 1 Greasy Falkland Islands — South African Wools. Snow White, super 3 Snow White, medium 2 Know White, inferior I Greasy combing, light -1 Greasy combing, heavy .... IS to 2 Greasy clothing, light 2' Greasy clothing, heavy par Clean Scoured Costs. Tho following is Mr. Lewis Fordham's tablo- showing the clean scoured costs out of the recent falos:— Clean scoured. Basis Clean for scoured. Carcloth- Basis bouised ing and combing Clean Basis , spinners' wools, 6coured. • for stylish topmak- Basis lambs' short free ers'se- wools. faulty •wool, lections. Free. Burry. wool. Quality, d. d. d. d. d. 'SO's .... 123 110 95 - - 70's .... 118 105 00 80 80 6-I's .... 108 95 85 75 78 GO's .... 100 85 80 70 70 58's .... 83 74 69 59 G3 sG's .... 72 „ G2 .aS 50 53 50's .... ffl 03 55 17 46 •lG's .... 13 40 52 12 32 ■ll's .... 37 35 47 37 ■23 40's .... 32 30 46 ■"« * 25 M's .... SO 29 41 81 23 Capo... 88 77 t G2 50 . tStiort freo. The Combing Operatives' Decision. The decision of tho combing operatives to work overtime lias been received with approval. For a lone timo the output of tops has been very much below the necessary quantity, and the operatives themselves have been blamed for being unwilling 'to jmt their shoulder to tho wheel and assist developments in export trade. Tho fact that tho attitudo of -the operatives has been made known by ballot and that a large number exproswd their opinion on tho question in th:s way also indicates that thoy havo not been quite so much at fault as one might otherwise havo been loci to believe. It is not practicable for all machinery immediately to commence working overtime, particularly as the railway strike has had serious effects upon the supplies of coal available. Fortunately combers havo prepared for eventualities as much as possible, and when operatives in other departments havo settled their difficulties a substantial increase in output generally may lie expected. Tho seriousness of tho situation is ctearly indicated in tlio fact (hat tho weekly output of tops lins fallen distinctlv below the requirements of the Home trade, there being no tops available except low qualities for export. Nobody can expect a speedy return to maxi mum output, anil a weekly shrinkage of 1.500,0001b. will not be overtaken nil at. once. Hiqh Prices Paid for Spot Tops.

Very high prices have continued to bo paid during the past week for merino tons for spot delivery. Last week it was mentioned 'that lis. 6d. hud been paid for warp 64's, find it is understood tlmt 12s. lms been paid for 70's. nnd 13s. 4cl. per lb. for 80's, all for immediate deliver*;, in order to keep machinery running. The (winners bad no alternative, and even if the tons leave behind no' profit it is bettor to keep machinery niiiniriii and hand? together. There has been a. very good trade done on forward ■ account. Hero nrices are more reasonable, although verv high. It is a fact 'that 10s. has been paid for February-March delivery of warp (Ms. There'has also lieen more, doing in fine crossbreds, and tho fact that all the coarse crossbreds withdrawn at the recfnt Government sale have since been -old shows tho tendency nf trade. It is high time coarse crossbreds had a move, and if exchange conditions becamo more favourable a big business would be done even in coarse and medium crossbreds. There is plentv of business offering both to sninnera and manufacturers; in fact, the bulk have their who'.o output sold right away to next .Tunc,