THE WORLD’S WOOL SUPPLY

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1831, 10 April 1907, Page 43

THE WORLD’S WOOL SUPPLY

There is no subject more interesting- and instructive at the present time than the world’s wool supply. Newspaper correspondents—especially from our great market-place, Bradford have been diligent in explaining the reasons for present high values and conjecturing and prophesying as to the future. But it is the statistician who can throw most light on tlie subject, for values are dependent on supply and demand, and the former, on which subject he is our principal guide, is the chief factor to be taken into consideration. The demand—except in the matter of change of fashions and consequent fluctuation in popularity of different varieties—is a steadily enlarging clement consequent on the increase in population, the raising of the standard of living and the adoption of Western styles in the East. The ’ ‘'Statist” has collated some valuable figures in order to give some idea of how present production falls short of the demand, and from a reprint of the “Statist’s” , article in “Dalgety’s Review” we quote the more important points.

Taking the ten-year period of 18951905 it is shown that the sheep of the world had declined during that time by 71,820,199, a truly stupendous falling away. The principal decrease ■was in- Australia, where the flocks declined by 45,970,000 head. The Commonwealth has been rapidly making good her losses during the past year, and the probability is that she will within a few years regain her old position. A territory showing a decreased supply which, however, looks as though it were all going to make up lost ground is North America. The falling-off here was 4,428,470. The flocks of South America were depleted to the extent of 2,848,021, but here, as in Australia, a recovery may be confidently anticipated'. The second largest decline was in Europe (including Asiatic Russia), where there were 11,322,223 less sheep in 1905 than ten ears earlier. No recovery may be anticipated in Europe itself, but when Russia is more settled a great development may be expected in its lower Siberian provinces. There was a decline of nearly four million in Africa, and almost threo million in Asia.

The decline of nearly 72 millions represents about one-seventli of the whole clip of the world in 1895. In natural sympathy with the decline in production prices have shown a great corresponding increase, and though the figures in regard to our leading qualities may be fairly well known, we may quote them again. In 1901 New Zealand halfbred super was worth 8d to 9d, in 1906 16£d to 17d, medium crossbred 4sd to 4fd and 15d to 15£d, and coarse 4d to 4£d and 13M to 14d. Notwithstanding the present slightly lower values than those of 1906, “wool is wanted everywhere, and no stocks are to be met with. Although prices may fall a little lower, still the values ruling for sheep and wool are on an excellent basis. Every year the wants of the textile world are increasing, and the outlook is most encouraging for those producing the raw material.”