WOOL FOR THE ARMY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23830, 9 June 1939, Page 6

WOOL FOR THE ARMY

EFFECT OF CONSCRIPTION MILLS RUNJTNG TO CAPACITY (Froivi Our Own Correspondent) LONDON, May 4. The introduction of conscription and the doubling of the territorial army is of the greatest importance to the wool manufacturing industry of Great Britain. “The decision,” reports the Manchester Guardian, “ was followed by the placing of further orders for khaki, and there has recently been a speeding up in West Riding mills in the various stages of production. “ The pressure of demand continues to be felt most on qualities of 50’s and below, and there are combing mills running to maximum canacitv on the lower crossbreds. This means running 22 hours a day. Every pound produced seems to be wanted for immediate consumption. “ In the spinning section there are firms working to the full limit on medium and low. crossbreds, which are wanted in connection with Government contracts as well as for export, and it is difficult to arrange for early delivery on a new order. Yarns for khaki as well as for knitted wear are wanted. “ Prices have not advanced as much as might have been feared, having regard to the increased activity and the manner in which crossbred wool has sold in the. primary markets. The lower crossbreds are a farthing or a halfpenny up from the selling prices of recent weeks, and there has been a corresponding movement in crossbred yarns. “ Manufacturers are very cautious about paying advances for tops or yarns because Government contracts have been placed at keenly competitive prices and there is little or no margin for any advance in the cost of wool or semi-manufactures.” The Bradford correspondent of the Yorkshire Post said; “ Crossbred wools of practically every type and quality are affected at the moment by the special requirements of the Government. This demand has not caught the trade unprepared for there have been obvious pointers during recent months that it was likely to develop and, in point of fact, it has been making its presence felt in the market since last September. “ The result is that there are good supplies on hand and of both suitable combing and clothing wools, but most of these are well held by firms who need them for their own requirements, and interest shown in stocks available for disposal is most pronounced. The probable reason is that no one could foresee the extent of the actual demand, or the rapidity with which it might develop, and it seems possible that, under both headings, events may have exceeded expectations. “ It is now evident that the introduction of conscription, the acceleration in Territorial Army recruiting, and the formation of various home defence units together call for considerable resources in the way of equipment and uniforms, and it seems at least possible that supplies originally visualised for stock purposes may go into actual use more quickly than was at one time anticipated. “ These are matters for others to determine, but it is in no sense of idle speculation that the wool and allied trades find themselves much interested in wools suitable for uniform cloths and other clothing requirements of armed forces Stout preparing wools and short clothing wools are the prime necessity, and adequate supplies of the latter are sufficiently difficult to obtain that attention to possible alternatives is already being paid in some quarters. In this connection it seems possible that certain domestic wools might find a field of utility.”