AMERICA AND WOOL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 8 May 1925, Page 8

AMERICA AND WOOL.

Tll-ADE. IN, A BAD WAY

Many authorities in .the wood, trade contend that the United States, owing to a steady increase in the population, is now capable, of consuming liailif a million bales more than in the pre-war period, and that the bulk, if not the whole, , of that wool must he of foreign origin, because the domestic supply at best- is not equal to furnishing half the quantity required, and the domestic clip is not expanding! Ju spite of these predictiona,. purchases on behalf of the United States, both in Australia, and New Zealand this season have been exceedingly small. At the opening of the sales- there was every indication that the United States was wool-hungry, but- this soon past seel away, and American representatives have bought, sparingly. For the past four months the Americans have done very Little buying in. any foreign market, and. towards the _en cl of February, the Boston, market, was reported to. be. exceedingly. quiet. A Boston, p-a.per dealing' with, the then existing situation remarked that ,a® a general market proposition, it was realised that fluctuations in prices were- sure to be experienced and' that duill. periods often followed times of Gjrea.t- a,dta.v ity. Tlie» wool sn.Uiiaifcion wais 'believed 1 to be fundamentally sound. Hesitancy and lack of demand were thought to be only temporary. Some shrewd manufacturers anticipated an* improvement in April, but as yelt there iis- no* sign of it. The trouble in the United States- appears to be -a) slack demand 1 for* the manufactured goodla. A,s showing the adverse Conditions under which, the indulstry is* working, it may he noted that the American Woollen Company, the largest, orga.r\s | a'tion in the woollen trade of the United; States, showed the gigantic loss of 12.000,000 dollars last Ve'ar.