BRADFORD WOOL TRADE

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17251, 19 August 1916, Page 12

BRADFORD WOOL TRADE

[From Our Correspondent,j LONDON, Juno 23.

Tlio chief topic of interest in the wool trade this week has been the action of the Government with regard to tho home wool clip. It is "now definitely known that the Government intends to purchase the whole of the clip from the farmers and consequently there will bo. no provincial auctions. Last night, in the House of Commons, the financial secretary for the War Office informed Mr James Hill, who represents Central Bradford in Parliament, that tho Army Council intended to utilise the bulk of tho English, wool clip for 1916 for military purposes and that in arranging for distribution to spinners and manufacturers who are able to .undertake Government orders, they will be guided by the returns showing the quantity and class of wool which firms are likely to require. . TJie balance of the clip unsuitable for military purposes is to .be disposed of to the trade at market prices. At a conference hold in London this week of representatives of the National Farmers’ Union, the War Office, and tin Board of Agriculture, it was announced that, tlie Army Contracts Department intended to make use of the existing organisations of the trade so far its possible and for this purpose is preparing lists of approved wool staplers, country merchants, and others who will ■ act as authorised agents of the Government. It is proposed to divide the. United Kingdom into convenient areas each under the control of an executive officer, who will have tho assistance of. a local advisory committee. Tlie most important point was tho statement that' it was the intention of tho Government to draw up a scale of prices based upon tho values ruling immediately preceding the outbreak, of war, with the addition of 30 per cent to cover the expenses of fanners. This basis has been very strongly protested against by farmers and with good cause. The values ruling in Bradford to-day are fully 50 per cent above prices immediately prior to the war, and there.is a feeling that -tlie Government in proposing to" pay only a 30 per cent advance is adopting a- niggardly attitude. ' No doubt from a colonial point of view tho - ' significance of all this is that it may, or may not, foreshadow an attempt to exercise a fuller measure of control over colonial supplies. There is a feeling here that it would not servo any useful purpose to go beyond the policy of restricting shipments from the colonies to Home, or Allied countries. Certainly there lias been nothing Ho indicate 'that the Government desires to interfere with colonial or I/ondon wool sales. One theory which finds .a lot of stlpport is that the veal cause of tho action, of the Government with regard to the home clip was a fear that a large portion of it might have passed into the hands of speculators, perhaps interested in American trade, and that it may have been held up to the disadvantage of the industry and to tho detriment of Army supplies. If that bo so then a bonefit will have been conferred upon the trade by the clip passing into the hands of the Government and being distributed according to "'current needs. A report lias reached Bradford, via America that our Government has agreed to supply 10,000.000 overcoats for Allied armies before next winter, and if tljat be so oho can understand tho arixiety of tho Army Contract® Department id conserve supplies.. It is a fact that extensive new orders have been given out recently in tins district for Russian tunic cloth whilst it is well known that tho British Government still requires enormous quantities of khaki and hosiery. Indeed, the outlook froni the point of view- of values is very healthy and prices are all very firm. Tho average prices ruling on too market on tho days named were as follow. J unc June June June 1-2. 10. - 19. 22.. cl. d. ' cl. d.

Merinocs — 52 70'? .V2 52 Go’s super 60's ordinary 51 ASk 51 481 51 48J 51 4Si GO'a B.A. . Crona-brods — ■ SB's ” 44 U 44 44 SB’s 30 SO ' SO SO 33.1 50's S3i :•-'>} 331 46's • 20 29 20 29 40 ft i • og i r 371 27 1 '-74 . 06'* 2l> J ' 26 26 26 32's Lincoln— 25 25 19 25 19 23 .0 Hoggets . 19 lYot-hers . 19 19 19 19 Kent wethers . 21i 214 2U 21 i