BRADFORD WOOL TRADE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16564, 30 May 1914, Page 15

BRADFORD WOOL TRADE.

[From Our Correspondent.] BRADFORD, April 17

Since our,last letter the Easter holi-;-* days have intervened and have to extent curtailed business. But before*' the holidays there was a change in the -'• tone.of the market, and a little buying produced more independence on the part of topmakers. Quotations were unaffected, but there was less inclination to make concessions, and the market showed a tendency to harden. Nov/ that tho holidays aro over, this has been confirmed by increased inquiry and some increase in business.' A few alterations have taken place';inprices, all of them in an upward direo-,! tion, and some merinoes have had ft 7 bo written up a farthing on tho averse age. Topmakers in some cases have riot» : •* moved, but they insist that current rates are only linn offers for a day or two, and that advances will ther be quoted. Without any marked change, therefore the trend of prices has changed, from one of slight weakness to one ol increasing strength. The conditions at the consumption end in this may not be good, but on the hand topmakers are faced with the' strength of raw material due to the J purchases of other consuming centres.-" The offerings at the next London sales"'.' have been limited to 175,000, and there ',, are very few who expect to find any * relief in values on thai occasion.

I Tlw consumption of tops is well' maintained, stocks are small, and in some cases deliveries are being pressed for, but this is partlydue to spinners wanting to keep their machinery running rather than restrict their output, ana there is not a commensurate demand for yarns. The most unsatisfactory feature of the market is the cross-brea yarn section, where surplus stocks cap be bought at lower prices than wil remunerate spinners, whilst the Coni tinental demand is poor. | So far as tho general trade of this j country is concerned, apart altogether j from the wool trade, it is being maim j tained satisfactorily, and it is evi- | dent that although the crest of th« ] wave of prosperity has apparently been | passed if is only very slowly that the i (leolinc is setting in. Indeed, the Board jof Trade returns and unemployment figures, all show that trade is very gooo indeed, although commodity prices ara slightly lower. Home wools are well maintained at late rates, business being naturally quiet at this period. The folowing'were the average prices ruling on the market days named :

In the now partially completed Charing Cross district station may be seen a curious proof of the tremendous wear and tear, caused /by the passage of small change'through the ticket window. ..The sill of one: of the temporarv windows, 4 piece of good oak, is worn to a cuplike hollow, and that after comparatively few months' use.

Mar. April. 80. 2. 9. 16 d. d. d. d. Merinoes— * 70's . . . 30J m 30* 301 60's super . 392 29^ 29J 80 GO's ordinary . 2SJ 23J 281 23| GfTs B.A. . 29 29 29 29-Cross-breds— 58's . 25 aij 2iJ 24J 56'g . 231 23 23 23 no's . 20J 20J 20J 20$ 46's . 174 m 171 .171 40's . 16J 164 1GJ 16J 38's • 16J isf 16* 161 SSV . , . 1G is 16 16 Lincoln— Hopefots . 122 . 12J 12i 12} Wothers . 12i 121, 121 121 Cent wethers . 13? 132 ISi 18f