THE LOSS OF WEIGHT IN WOOL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4200, 5 September 1874, Page 3

THE LOSS OF WEIGHT IN WOOL.

Mr. W. A. Brodribb, the President of . the lliverina Pastoral Chamber, has, says the Pastoral Times, gone to reside in London, where he will remain until the end of the year 1875, principally to watch the wool sales and the various mysterious operations connected therewith. If only a part of the malpractices said to exist thereat are correct, Mr. Brodribb will have his hands full for the next eighteen months. Hr. Brodribb in bis circular, gives such data in reference to the losses of his own wool i>i transitu as ought io astonish those who have for years been sending theirs, to London in the usual, way. Wo will let Mr. Brodribb speak for himself:—“On 1-10 bales of scoured wool sent by me to London market and sold during the year 1873, there was a difference between the Colonial weights and the landing weights of 21201b5., and between the landing weights and the selling weights of 28Slbs., making a total loss of 24081b5,, being at the rate of 511bs. per bale. The clip of 1873 I consigned to my brother, who happened to bo at that time in Europe, and I reached Loudon before the bales were landed from the ship. By special arrangement a clerk was sent to see every bale weighed into the warehouse. The result, so far, has been very satisfactory. On 460 bales the landing weights exceeded the Colonial, weights by 13fi9Ibs,, or within a shade of 31bs. per bale.' Both clips were weighed by my son at tho Booligal Scouring establishment, and in both cases tho wool was off the same sheep and their increase. If this surplus of 13Ci!lbs. be added to the deficiency on the 440 bales (namely, 24081b5.), the total would make a loss on the clip of 1872 of 37771b5., which, valued at 2s. 2d. per lb., would make a money loss of £409.” In brief, whonTie sent home, unwatched, Ida wool shorn in 1872, he lost in the gross 240Slbs, in weight, orat the rate of Sllbs. per bale. Wbilebe narrowly watched his clip of the year 1873, as detailed in his circular, the wool had increased in weight 13091m5,, or rather more than 31bs. per bale. We may thus fairly claim SJlbs. weight of washed wool per bale’ as having been somehow or other “spirited” away, which confirms the assertions made in the Pastoral Times when the contest about these sales commenced. Admit that each pound of Mr. Brodxibb’s wool was worth 2s. Cd., and that the 250,000 bales, the gross quantity sent to twenty-four or twenty-six consignees in Loudon, suffered as did Mr. Brodribb’s, there would be a clear yearly loss to the woolgrowor of £250,000 (quarter of a million sterling). But as much of the wool was sent home unwashed, or at least, unsecured, this difference might safely be covered by £50,000, reducing the loss to the respectable figures of £200,000.