OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER. C From Our Special Correspondent.) BRADFORD, October 5.

Otago Witness, 5 December 1900, Page 6

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER. C From Our Special Correspondent.) BRADFORD, October 5.

WOOLCOMBING PRICES ADVANCED. The host of Bradford topmakers and wool people in general were very much taken by storm last "Saturday by being circularised that on and aiter October 1 prices for combing wool would be sensibly advanced. This was altogether unlooked for in view of the very quiet sta^te of the trade, and when from a trade standpoint there seemed to be no warrant for such a step being taken, woolcombing machinery standing idle wholesale, particularly that machinery adapted for combing- merinos. Before offering any criticism on the situation we had better place before readers what the circular said as being sent out by all the leading comber 3, this being a joint 'action. The following is how the circular runs : — * "We beg to inform you that in consequence of the e\traordinai'y increase in the cost of production, it is impossible to continue combing wools at the present prices, and we are compelled to readjust them from Ist October. "Except for wool actually on our premises at this date the prices will be as follows : — MERINO WOOLS.

lle-RilliDK sex No carding to l>e d< ne under l§<i. All qualities above 56's crosabreda to come in under %he merino tariff.

ICELAND. Wools tearing over Bof top to 1 of noil ... 1J Wools tearing under Bof top to lof uoil ... ]§- "For all lots at present in work 14- days will be allowed ( for completion, after which an invoice will be rendered for the same." The circular is signed by the Yorkshire Woolcombers' . Association (Limited), Isaac Holdcn and Sons jLimited^ Holder^ Bjtrnlex*

and Co., and all the rest of the firms of note who are outside the woolcombers' combine. This latter association now comprises 29 firms, the outside firms working in unity; with the association. Taking a full view of the above matter; there is undoubtedly much to be said in favour of the advance, seeing it doep '-\ not amount to more than 5 to 7£ per, cent. Colonial readers may" not "Know, but' ' there is hardly any mill in Yorkshire to-day, whose coal bill has not doubled when compared with a year ago, while every other raw, manufacturing commodity such as oil, .soap., •> and chemicals, all of which are extensively > used in wool-combing, has been sensibly < advanced during the past year. Then the .' decreased profits of the Yorkshire Woolcombers' Association (Limited)- and Isaao Holden and Sons (Limited), which were so recently stated at the anual meetings of tho. two concerns, and their inability to pay any, dividend at all, are clear enough proof that the Bradford wool-combing industry hasfallen upon evil days, and so long as there is a umced action, the trade will not bo upset by one man being unable to undersell; another. Of course, it was freely stated afc the time the big combine was floated that prices would be surely advanced, and the present is certainly an opportune one when everything else, is so much dearer, though with the wool trade so quiet it would not be surprising if one of the outside firms which i.s not limited kicked over the traces, arid offered to comb at old prices to obtain woi'k, rather than maintain a higher rate "and have half the* machinery standing. Be that as it; may, with a combined action the wool trade wilt not be in anywise affected, neither wili it prevent any less wool going to comb". As far as we remember, the woolcombers' shares were subscribed for last year s>ometning like. 10 times over, but the transformation has been so unique that recently their £1 preference shares had only a market value of 14s 6d, to-day's price being 16s 3d to 16s 6d 1 "To colonial wooigxowers perhaps the above price list will hardly be so plain and understandable as to a topmaker here, so we shall try to throw a litule light upon it. Take, for instance, merino wools, with which Australian and South African readers are mostly conversant. A good -average shafty, fairly light - conditioned wool will tear 31b ,?ntl under 51b of top to lib weight of noil, and, according to the revised scale, a topmaker will be charged 2£d per lb for every pound weight of top combed. It is the quantity of clean delivered top that is always charged for, and not the noils or the wool. The greater percentage of top the wool delivers the leas price will be the combing ; while the more wasty and short the wool, the greater will be the charges for the combing. This' is the principle that applies to both merinos and crossbreds, while burring and regilling, or regetting, up the tops is charged extra. Of course every grower knows that the shorter the wool the more "noils" there will be, noils being the short fibres thrown out by 'the last process of combing, as the top is leaving the combing machine. Then heavy-conditioned wool always means a greater shrinkage, the wool, taking more scouring, thus reducing the clean weight; of. delivered top and noil/ Hie sliding scale of charges is found' to work very "well,* 'as, for „ instance, .when a wool delivers Si-lb of top 'to lib w of noil. 'Delivering that weight brings _ it,J m to cost just* 'the same i>rice"as' if. it" delivered ' 4|lb of top to lib of noil, while if it only delivered 31b it would be charged at the rate of 2^lb. In the Bradford combing industry weights -are worked out to a nicety, top invoices showing in 'pounds, ounces. . and drachms' the result ef every lot of wool combed. By this method a man can tell to a fraction what weight of clean wool acertain mark or brand has made, and estimate to a farthing its cost when clean in top and noil, or even the scoured state. Of course, when combing cro&sbreds, the yield is greater than in me- | rinos, hence the less price per lb for combing. In the aggregate, owing to the extra weight to be charged for, the amount will be the same.

u> Wools tearing 7 and upwards of top to 1 of noil 2 Wools tearing 5 and under 7 of top to 1 of noil 2-1 Wools Wring 3 and under 5 of top to 1 of noil Si Wools teanr.g 2J and under 3 of top to 1 of noil 2f Wools tearing under 2j of top to 1 of noil ... 3 Burring ... « M •■• •■• A c; Be-gilliDg o» ire: CROSSBRED WOOLS. E6's crossbreds *•• 1% ro's H no's „ under 7of top to 1 of noil I|-4-i'a to 40's carding Is 40's to 46's carding under 8 of top to 1 of noil •>. !.• 1} Burring .. &c: