WOOL FOR THE STATE

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 100, 25 October 1916, Page 11

WOOL FOR THE STATE

(PROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

1 _ LONDON, Bth September. The taking over of the wool clip by the 'War Office is proceeding smoothly, and the wool is coming in rapidly all over the United Kingdom. As far as possible the wool has been purchased through the. usual channels and local customs have been observed. Interest now turns to the distribution of the wool which the Government has acquired. Most of the English wool will be wanted for military purposes, and it is officially considered essential that wool not re-, quired for immediate use should be held as a reserve against possible contingencies. We are responsible not only for clothing our own troops but also for the provision of cloth for the armies of more than one of our Allies. The quantity of wool, therefore, which can be allocated for civilian purposes is comparatively small. With regard to the use of wool for Army contracts, the War Office has taken steps to secure from the trade full advantage of the fact that English wool will be available for manufacturers at a lower price than might have obtained if the Government had not taken over the clip. As an additional move in the direction of economy the Department have endeavoured to scrutiniso the profits of spinners and manufacturers with a view to arriving at a fair basis of profit in placing contracts. '