The Wool Market.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7068, 30 July 1901, Page 4

The Wool Market.

r : ; The London wool salea: JtiaYe not :shown any' recovery; in 'prices, ': al- ; though the bidding towards~the close .was brisker. 'If anything, merino been the best : of the. b'usi- ' ness, and the outlook for this class of wool iscertainly better than for: crossbred. Last week Bradford"tops, common "and superior .sixties, were firmer, the former showing an actual improvement of £ per ; lb. The colonial wool year, closed on. the 30th June, and the reports of the wool brokers show that there has 1.- been a slight increase in the shipments of wool from Australasia. Dalgetyand Co., Limited, give the following figures showing the. quantities shipped from each colony during the past season:— • 1901. 1900. ' ■■'. Bales. Bales. New South Wales 584,039 :552,602 Victoria ... ... 389.011 402,534 S.Australia ... 134,900 119,766 Queensland ... 89,724 87,356 New Zenlana ... 385.472 897,283 W. Australia ... 28,392 26,499 Tasmania "."• ... 15,626 8,524 : -1,627,164 1,594,464 Only Victoria and Few Zealand show decreases, and shortage from this colony" is somewhat heavy. Taking the average obtained at colonial sales, the past years' pro-duction-realised just about half of what was obtained for the clip of 1899-1900, the respective figures being £16 14s 8d and L 8 11s lOd. Even if the difference is placed at only L 6 per bale the loss of income to the wool growers of Australasia amounts to very nearly nine millions sterling. New Zealand's loss is accentuated by the decreased output, With respect to the prospects of the trade, Dalgety and Company are not too hopeful, They say that" though the prospects of the trade are manifestly improved by the steadiness which has prevailed during the past six months, it cannot be claimed that there is any clear indication of an early recovery in the values of either merino or crossbred wool. . The probability that there has been a serious depletion in the . stocks of manufactured goods is by no means an unimportant" factor, though the heavy losses of the past year must continue for some time to promote a reserve as to reinstatement. The general improvement in the tone of the trade during the last four months indicates a steady return of confidence, and though there is little that points to an early or material improvement in, current values, the existing level appears fairly secure."