OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3333, 30 January 1918, Page 12

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

(Fbom Oua Special Correspondent.) BRADFORD, November 15. IMMEDIATE WOOL SUPPLIES ADEQUATE, BUT SHIPPING PROBLEM GRAVE. There are still many problems connected with State control which are engaging very serious attention, and they will havo a direct bearing upon tho immediate future of the wool textile industry. A good deal has been heard this last fortnight about standard cloths, tho last official report of the meeting of the Board of Control stating clearly that the department was* hoping 'to put upon the market a good wearable cloth for men's wear at 6s per yard, which would produce a suit at 50s: one for young boys at 22s 6d, for older boys 30s, and for youths 40s. The idea is a worthy one, and tho Director of Wool Textile Production is to he complimented on the effort ho is making for tho provision of good cloths for 'the million. Tho intimation was also convoyed that shoddy is not to be used in the composition of this cloth, and in all probability it will be found to cost nearer 6s 3d per yard than 6s. Of course, it will be an all-woollen fabric, weighing about 20oz, 56in wide. It may bo asked, How can this be done? Tho reader well knows that every fleece is not uniform in quality and condition throughout, and that every eheep produces a certain proportion of second and third rate wool, known in the trade as pieces, bellies, and locks. Now these descriptions of wool arc very good, and serve an excellent purpose. _ The staple is often too short for combing, unless it be shafty Eieces, and theso "off sorts" are all taken y woollen manufacturers, and, when scoured, dyed, and blended, they produce an excellent woollen fabric. Now the department has on hand a big quantity of these off sorts, and, with all rnills now working 70 to 80 per cent, of their machinery on military fabrics, consumption of .these for civilian cloths is not what many would like it to be. It is now proposed to use these in making civilian cloths, and with a judicious blending of noils and wastes some excellent fabrics can be turned out. The great thing that the department will strive against is uniformity. At tho present time a nice grey tweed has been produced in several shades, and with the introduction of a little variation in pattern and tho same yarns being used eonrio excellent cloths can be put upon tho market at a reasonable price. Of course, the idea of producing standard cloths has naturally met with a mixed reception, many people thinking that it is altogether unnecessary, it being a fact that even to-day there are Dewsbury and Huddersfield manufacturers producing nice stylish tweeds at 5s 6d. Of course, there cannot be the substance and wearing capacity about these that there will be about standard cloths, and therefore the thing is certain to go through.

A SHORTAGE OF COMBING WOOLS. The trade lias been advised this last fortnight that there is at present somewhat of a shortage of combing wools—at least there has been a persistent cry among combers and spinners, who are finding it to be increasingly difficult to obtain sufficient to satisfy their requirements. At the moment, there seem to be far more clothing wools than combing, and yet the representatives of spinners on the Board of Control candidly state that there is at the moment no actual shortage, though wool at sea and arriving is not as large as they would like to see. This is to be regretted, because consumption to-day is colossal, no man living being able to comprehend the weight of wool which is being shifted and which is being taken for the production of military fabrics by Groat and her Allies. The department is sticking most tenaciously to its stocks of merino tops, and those even with sub-certificates granted by the Rationing Committee are unable to extract from the department tops to satisfy requirements. Evidently there is a temporary squeeze. Many are of the opinion that the department is adopting these tactics in order to force topmakers, who are still carrying privately-owned stocks, to sell. What blocks the way is an order preventing them selling at more than 5s 9d per lb, when many topmakers have "bid 6s to 6s 2d per lb. It is well-known that some arc finding ways and means for selling at the latter prices, and no doubt on December 1 the department will automatically acquire all priva'tcly-owned 'stocks of tops. There are some who think that prices have not reached the maximum, and even profiteering has been mentioned in many quarters in regard to State-controlled wool and tops. However, .the Shipping Controller knows full well what is the position of affairs; but in face of the tremendous amount of lost shipping _ the freight question is becoming increasingly difficulty. THE SOUTH AFRICAN CLIP. Reuter sent a cable last week stating that the South African Union Government had received offers from farmers amounting to 167,870 bales, and they were prepared to sell this weight of wool to the Imperial Government on the same terms as Australian and New Zealand wool-growers. This represents three-eighths of the clip, and 'the response is regarded in Bradford wool circles as poor. In fact, there need be no secret made of the circumstance, many people on this _ side expressing a certain a.raount of satisfaction that there still remains a oartially free market; but, as regards Bradford topmakers operating, it is now altogether out of the question. It is well known that America and Japan must provide their own shipping. Everything indicates still high:;? freights; but the fact of five-eighths of the farmer* of South Africa deciding to run the gauntlet shows clearly enough a lack of unanimity among growers at the Cape. It is conceded that no priva'tcly-owned wool will now be shipped to England, and_ that all the freight will be used in bringing home the wool clip by tho Imperial Government. It is very interesting to note 'that exports from the Union of South Africa to the United States for the year ending December 31, 1916. were 2,916,3351 b of scoured wool and 39,903,4571 b of greasy wool. The South African clip aggregates about 500,000 bales. EXPORT PROBLEMS. Quite an agitation is proceeding in West RidiiiK circles over a _ proposal made by Mr T. 11. Jones, chairman of the War Trade Department, some months ago. Tho wholo question was discussed on two separate nights at tho Bradford Textile

Society, the cubject has received free ventilation in tho press, and a good deal of interest has naturally been aroused in the proposal. Briefly, it is that an attempt should be made to form a syndicate, comprising leading manufacturers in all branches of the 'textile trade. A big combmo should also be formulated with capital running into, say, a million sterling, though both larger and smaller sums than that are mentioned. The idea is that 'there shall be a combination of all branches of the wool textile industry, which should develop the markets of the world. Several point to Germany's success in foreign markets being due to organisation, and tho working of an export trade in this way. Naturally among the export houses of Bradford strong feelings of opposition are seen, and the idea of a combine or monopoly is not meeting with universal favour. The creation of such a scheme would place, sa3', half a dozen men at tho top, and there would be very little room for a pushing, enterprising little manufacturing firm, or, for that matter, a big firm either. It would mean doing away with individual initiative, enterprise, and enthusiasm; and so far tho record of combination in the British textile industry has not been attended with a great amount of success except in the case of 'the Bradford Dyers' Association. Some of the export houses of Bradford are very highly organ-, iscd, .they havo played a very important part in developing Great Britain's overseas trade, while a largo number of manufacturers have grown so wealthy that they are now in a position to do their own export trade by sending their own travellers to all the countries in tho world. Of course, everything is in the talking stage; but trade after the war is a problem that is receiving a good deal of attention.