WOOL AND CLOTHING.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2075, 16 March 1922, Page 4

WOOL AND CLOTHING.

Producers as well as consumers in New Zealand are concerned at the remarkable disparity between the price of wool and the cost of clothing. A London correspondent, in discussing the disparity, says;—“At the manufacturing end it is declared that all sections concerned have made considerable sacrifices in the hope of attracting trade. Wages have made a steep descent, and the charges for combing, carbonising and spinning have come down appreciably. These cuts were made some months ago, and it is averred they made it possible for the retail price to have been reduced long ago. A Bradford writer said recently that Bradford was never a cheaper market for the finished article, and in comparison with the present price of wool, tops and yarns, clothing was still much too dear. Giving what lie describes as a concrete case in proof he adds: "Recently a Bradford merchant sold some cloth to a wholesale house at the very low price of 1/6) a yard, the fabric being 40oz. all-wool serge. That cloth was sold to a retail firm at 1/9 per yard, which gave the wholesale house the modest profit of 3Ad per yard. It appeared in the shop window at just double the price charged by the wholesaler, and probably was regarded as a wonderful bargain by the public at that figure.” It would be easy to quote parallel cases, and while this sort of thing is going on a restoration of trade is sure to be retarded. While in the main the manufacturers’ case, as stated above, is admitted by leading tailors to be accurate, the charge that the makers-up of clothing (especially tailors in. the bespoke trade) have not given their customers the benefit of the cheapened cloth is denied.”