A RECORD WOOL CLIP.

Evening Star, Issue 14627, 25 July 1911, Page 10

A RECORD WOOL CLIP.

We have received a cony of the ' Annual Wool Review,' published by Dalgety and Company, Ltd., which is now in its thirteenth year of issue, and, as customary, shows every indication of having been carefully written, while the statistics, always of a valuable nature, appear to be very complete and comprehensive. There is so much of interest in the publication, dealing not only with the past season, but with a number of current topics in connection with the pastoral industry, that every producer should endeavor to procure a copy,' either to keep as a record, or for the purpose of perusing a number of facts in connection with the disposal of the wool clip.

The principal feature of the wool year has boon that a record clip was shorn, the oversea exports having amounted to 2,468,750 bales, an increase of 34,107 bales on tho shipments of the previous 12 months. Owing to a slightly lower level of prices, tho average per bale was £l2 10s 4d, as compared with £l3 12s 2d in the preceding season; but even at this rate the value of the clip was a little; over £30,000,000. It is a fact worthy of notice that the 2.000,000 bales limit in exports was reached for the iirst time in the year 1906-7, and that the past year's returns are nearly double those of 1903-4. There could not, therefore, bo better proof of the marvellous recuperative powers of the country than is shown by these figures.

j According to the figures given, the flocks in Australia and New Zealand now total a little over 116 millions, having increased during the past 12 months by a little over half a million head. A greater number of shcop, however, are now dopasturised in Australasia than at any period during the past 17 years, the previous record having been in 1891, when tho figures reached a few under 125 millions. The increase during the past 12 months is considerably bolow what had been expected, but is accounted for to a considerable extent by the very large numbers which have been slaughtered for export and home consumption. A very high standard with respect to the cut per head has now been reached, ospeoi- | ally in regard to merinos—a fact which will be appreciated when it is stated that though there were many more sheep to shear 20 years ago tho clip shorn during the past season eclipses all previous records. As regards the future, ' Dalgety's Annual Review ' states that prospects for another bounteous season are encouraging, while the outlook, broadly speaking, is distinctly good. A splendidly grown and sound wool clip is expected, and provided somewhere about current rates are maintained during the coming selling season, wool growers will again reap a good reward for their labors, which continue to do so much towards the general prosperity of these lands. Stocks of raw wool being everywhere normal, the trade practically enters upon the new season without being in any way encumbered, so that there seems every probability of a satisfactory demand prevailing during tho ensuing 12 months. Present wool values are by no means excessive; in fact, are well below the average of the past 50 years, and are fully justified under existing trade conditions. The compilers can he congratulated upon the excellent manner in which the report., of the past season's wool business has been written, as well as upon the very'■interesting way in which tho statistical portion is shown ; and incidentally it may be mentioned that the printing and general get-up of Dalgcty and Company's publication is of the highest order.