OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3348, 15 May 1918, Page 11

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

(Fboh Oub Special Cobrespohdemt.J BRADFORD, March 7. MAKING MATERIALS PAY. The event of the week in wool textile circles is the publication by the department of a new list of top prices, every quality showing an advance of 3d per_ lb. Our readers have been apprised of this already, although in the first instance reliable reports asserted that the advance for the forthcoming rationing period, which begins on April 1, would see both wool and tops on a higher level. Why the advance should not include wool is only known to the officials of the for there appears to me just as much justification for putting up wool values as tops, because, after all, tops are simply combed wool, and the department might as well go in for getting more money on wool as tops. A thought strikes the writer why wool has not been advanced like tops, it being distinctly stated that the present range of wool and top values is to continue for the next eight months, the longest period of any which has elapsed without prices being tampered with. The department is evi-

dcntly determined to make every section of the trade pay handsomely, although the reason given for the advance in tons is that, with poorer wool having to be used for combing, the cost will be considerably increased. Of course it will. I understand that there is already a movement on foot for increasing combing charges; but if poorer wool is used for combing it will necessarily mean a greater noilage—that is, the “tear” will not bo as large as if good stapled wool was used; the larger the production of noils the greater the cost of the combing operation, as well as the resultant top. However, the trade is now in possession of an item which it has long been desirous of knowing, and to the majority the season given for the advance is regarded as very paltry indeed. NEW SCALE OF VALUE'S. The War Office (Wool Section) has prefaced the new list of values by making the following statement: — “The recent developments in the shipping position make it necessary, if employment in the combing and worsted industries is to be maintained on or near the present scale, to produce tops to some extent from wool of less desirable descriptions than heretofore. The conversion costs in manipulating such wools will seriously affect the ultimate ccet of tops, and in . these circumstances the Director of Raw Materials announces that on and after April 1, 1918, the issue prices of all qualities of tops for civilian consumption will be advanced 3d per lb, as shown in the annexed schedule. These prices are to hold good for eight months from April 1:

“Tho grades have no reference to what are known as spinners’ tops. All prices _ are net cash in 14 days. The schedule of issue prices for wool now • in force will remain unaltered for a similar period.” WHY SHOULD PRICES BE ADVANCED. It can bo taken for granted that colonial pastoralists are keeping a very watchful eye upon the action of the Imperial authorities, and will note tho further advance which they are charging the trade for tops. _ Do the' officials think that wool-growers, either British or colonial, will bo hoodwinked by supposing that if wool has not been advanced then there will be no_ need to pay more for the forthcoming clips. Already overtures have been made to the Imperial authorities by British farmers for an advance for their approaching new clip of 75 per cent, above pre-war level, and one can eee that, as a result of the recent South African fiasco, _ Australasian _ wool-growers will have a mighty lever in demanding more money for their next clip. Will our authorities go to colonial pastoralists and use the present circumstance as an argument against paying more, simply because they have not further advanced wool values? The fact, no doubt is true, but it does not alter the circumstance that the bulk of the colonial clip con be and is combed, and so long as tops have been advanced every sensible wool-grower knows that an upward movement in tops is always equivalent to higher wool values. It is a fact that wool bought in Sydney tho same week that the Australian clip was purchased by tho Imperial Government has been brought to Bradford and made into 64’s tops at a cost of 4s per lb, whereas the new price will be 6s 4d for an ordinary toi>, and a penny more for a warp article. Surely under the old scale the department had profit enough, but evidently they know that they can obtain more money, and are therefore going to have it while the opportunity serves. POORER WOOL PRODUCES POORER TOPS. It will be observed from the above official announcement that the reason given for advancing 'top values is that they will be made from less desirable descriptions, and as “ the conversion costa in manipulating such wools will seriously affect the ultimate costs of tops, prices have been advanced a further 3d per lb.” One regrets very much that the announcement has been necessary, because every man knows that poor wool produces poorer tops, and, of course, under tho present system of appraising, wools are put _ into certain grades and valued according to their quality, length, and condition. Everybody realises that if tips are to spin well, then good wool must be used; otherwise the whole business will be largely a failure. During tho past two months many complaints have been heard of the bad spins, all due to poorer tops. The trade need not have been put to this hardship if common sense and sound judgment had been used, but those _ responsible for importing wool have evidently lost sight of the fact until it was too late that sufficient combing wool, paricularly merinos, was not being shipped from Australia, and the fact seems to have been totally ignored that into the warehouses in Australia big quantities of combing wool have been pouring since last August. If these facts had been known and acted upon there would have been an adequate supply of raw material, and the trade to-day is suffering in consequence, and will have to do for some months to come. This raises the important question which directly affects wool-growers both at home and abroad —namely, that in order to obtain good tops they must grow good wool, for it is impossible to produce excellent tops out of pieces and bellies, which apparently abound to-day. CONDITIONS OF TRADE. The entire industry is very gravely concerned about the next allocations. _ An important Board of Control meeting is to bo held this week, and a far-reaching statement is expected bearing upon this very point. Everything will depend upon the quantity of wool that is going to be 'available whether machinery will be kept running or otherwise. The trade was informed last week that no more orders for military fabrics are to he placed during the_ next four months, only three standard military yarns—namely, grey, Shetland, and blanket yarns —are to bo spun. Naturally spinners and manufacturers conclude that more wool and tops will therefore be available for civilian purposes, and it is exactly how much upon which tho crux of the whole question rests. Under the charter of the Board of Control there is a fundamental principle laid down that wool not wanted for military purposes shall bo available for tho civilian trade, and around that condition a battle royal is expected. The representatives directly elected by the trade will no doubt fight for that condition, and if the

Labour party of the Board of Control does not also support the trade they will have forfeited all right to serve on any committee. All that the members of the trade want is wool so that machinery can be kept going and work found for operatives. Some talk of still more standing machinery, and a levy being made on those who are running combs, spindles, and looms similar to that seen in the Lancashire cotton trade is heard, but better by half hand out what raw material is available than resort to makeshifts of this order. T23E BREADSTUFF:? AMB PRODUCE ffIAKKKT*. Friday evening. Tho London wheat market is quiet. A fair number of Indian cargoes are offering, but no Australian cargoes are showing. Small eales of Australian have been made at 85s Gd ex quay. There Is littlo wheat offering on t&o local market. Supplies of Australian wheat are still available for mixing with the New Zealand-grown cereal, but millers are beginning to look forward to a further supply from Australia. A small.sized parcel of Australian fowl wheat arrived during the week, but supplies of this class of cereal continue very short. Flour (200's) is quoted at £ls 10s a ton. Oatmeal, £25 a ton for 25's. Pearl barley, £23. Pollard, £8 7s Gd (fixed by Government). Bran, £6 (fixed by Government). Milling wheat., according to Government price, South Island, May 53 lid, June 5s Hid, July Cs, August 6s OJd, f.o.b. The oats market continues weaker ,nnd it Is difficult to do business in Dunedin and also to Fell to merchants in the North Island. Moreover, the lack of shipping space is of very serious moment, as merchatns here are faced with the difficulty of getting their oats through to tha North Island, sold on a May delivery basis. If they are unable' to ship these forward orders they will probably have the oafs thrown back on their hands. Advice from Auckland, states that a line of B Gartens was told there a few days ago at 4a s§d, f.0.b., svi. Merchants here cannot, speaking generally, obtain oats from the farmers to permit their sale to the North Island at anything like this figure Good, heavy oats are worth about 4s 2d to is 3d on trucks, Dunedin, but, as already stated, very little business is passing at these prices. PRODUCE REPORT. Plenty of chaff is now available on the local market at late rates. The market has an easy tone. Shortage of freight affects the export to the North Island, but during the week a lino of 2000 sacks was shipped to Wellington. The market is over-supplied with both wheaten and oaten straw. Potatoes are being offered more freely this week, tho fact once more repeating the experience of merchants —that it is wonderful whero potatoes come from when the market reaches high values. The price to-day is about £9 to £9 10s a ton. A line of Dakota reds was offered from Ashburton at a price equivalent to £7 17s 6d landed in Dunedin, but no business resulted. Tho market continues firm, end the fact that a lino of 1300 sacks of Melbourne-grown was condemned by the inspector, as the tubers were affected with Irish blight, has had a hardening effect. It is rather remarkable that a line of potatoes consigned to Auckland, carried on the same steamer, was quite free from blight, and of splendid quality; of course these tubers had been grown in entirely different ground from that of the blight-affected. It is just as well that this was so, as if the Australian tubers sent to Auckland were to be also condemned, it would have the effect of forcing northern merchants to operate on the southern market, and prices as a consequence would jump rapidly. South Canterbury is quoting Dunedin merchants at equal to £8 5s landed here. Eggs and dairy butter continue in short supply. There was a full yarding of pigs at Burnside on Wednesday. Owing to the larger number forward prices were easier by Jd per lb. Best baconers made from BJd to Bid per lb, and best porkers from BJd to BJd per lb. Current wholesale prices are as follow: Fowl "Wheat. —New Zealand-grown, to Gs 6d a bushel. Chaff.—Prime oaten sheaf, £6 10s to £8 15s (sacks extra); medium to good, £5 10s to £3; light and discoloured, practically unsaleable. Wheat straw, £3; oaten, £3 ss. Potatoes, £9 to £9 10s per ton (sacks in). Eggs.—Stamped, 2s 4d a dozen; preserved. Is Bd. Onions. 8s Gd per cwt. Butter.—Hilled bulk. Is 2d to Is 4d per lb; second quality, Is Id; dairy separator, in lib packages, Is Id to Is 3d. Honey, 9d per lb. Pigs.—Baconers, 8d to BJd per lb; porkers, B£d to BJd. * Bacon. —Bolls, local, Is 3d; Christehuroh rolls, Is 3d; sides, Is 2d; hams, Is 3d; ham rolls, Is 3d. FRUIT REPORT. About 1000 cases of bananas came forward on Monday. A fair quantity of tho fruit arrived in indifferent order. Some 200 cases of oranges ar_ rived by the same boat. A fair-sized line of pie melons came to hand from Nelson. The melons were ripe, and did not stand the journey from the north as well as previous parcels, many of them being bruised. Several consignments of apples have arrived from Nelson. Most of the lots were in poor order, and realised low prices. Small parcels are coming forward' from Otago Central, and anvthing choice roalises good money. The supplies of apples from the Central show a big falling off this year compared with last season's output. The supplies of pears have slackened off, and as a result prioes have firmed. It is stated in some quarters that tho cause of the diminished supplies is the buying up of the primest samples by operators who ha.ve secured space in the cool stores, and have taken advantage of the cheap prices and large quantities available in Canterbury to lay in big stocks to hold for higher values. The vegetable market is fairly well supplied, chiefly with cauliflowers, cabbages, and marrows. With the exception of cabbages, which are difficult to quit, a fair demand exists for vegetables. Current wholesale prices are as follow: — Apples.—Dessert, Gs Gd to 7s Gd per case; choice Delicious, 3Jd to 4d; cookers, 6s to Gs for best; medium, 3s to 4s; Jonathan, 2£d to 3d per lb for Central-grown; Nelson-grown, 5s 3d to 6s Gd per bushel cases for best. Pears, 6s to 6s; medium, 3s 6d to 4s Gd per bushel case; Central-grown Winter Nelis and Winter Coles, 2Jd to 3d per lb. Lemons.—Adelaides, 20s to 22s 6d per case. Cucumbers.—Local hothouse, 7s to 8s per dozen for best; small, 3s Gd to 6s. Bananas. —Green, to 21s 6d for prime. Oranges.—lsland, 16s to 17s repacked. Quinces, l£rt to 2d per lb. Pie Melons, lis to. 12s per cwt. Tomatoes.—Local hothouse, lOd to Is 2d; Christchurch, outside, to 4d for best; others, lid to 3d; Central-grown, best, to Gd. Chestnuts, Is per lb. Walnuts, to Is Id per lb for choice. Grapes.—Choice locals, to 2s; Oamaru Gros Colmars, to 2s 7d. Potatoes. —Peninsulas 12s per cwt; Taieri, £9 10s per ton. j Cabbage.—Choice, up to 3s per dozen; Is to 2s per sack. Cauliflowers: Choice, up to 8s 6d per dozen; medium, 3s to 4s. Lettuce, Is per oase; ohoicc, Is per dozen. Parsnips, 2s Gd to 3s per cental bag. Carrots, 3s to 4s per cental bag; sacks, to lis. Vegetable Marrows, 4s to 5s per sack. MERCHANDISE MARKET. Cream of tartar is firmer, and the ruling price is 4s. Whole cloves are worth 2s 6d per lb. Small-sized sardines are practically unprocurable. Small parcels have been procured from Australia. The price of the new season's currants is named at lOd per lb for One Crown. Pears' assorted soap (four tablets in a box) has been reduced to 16a per dozen boxes. Stocks of imported chutney are practically exhausted, and there 6eems no prospect of fresh importations. Laundry Help has advanced to 12s per dozen. Zig-zag cigarette papers are now quoted at lis 6d per box. Cable advice has been received of a very decided advance in the price of J.D.K.Z. Geneva.

Safety matches, both Swedish and Japanese, have jone up in price. A parcel of Burmah candles is to hand, and is quoted at lid. K.»roseue has been advanced 6d per case. B ivice has been received from Australia to the effect that the major portion of currants bought Eome time ago is not allowed by the fruit inspector to bo shipped to New Zealand, owing to inferior quality. As a result, the quantities coming to New Zealand will be very much curtailed.

Quality. Prices. Quality. Tops. 58’s .. .. Pi'icea. Tops. 36’s prepared d. d. .. 36 40's prepared .. 87 60’s .. .. 44’s prepared .. 89 60’a super 73 .. 75 44’s carded .. .. 40 61’s ordinary 46’a carded .. .. 42 64’s warp .. 77 48’s .. .. 70’s ordinary 77 50’s .. .. 56's .. .. .. 58 70’s warp .. 80