OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 4042, 1 September 1931, Page 19

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

BETTER FEATURES DEVELOP. (From Ous Spicial Correspondent.) BRADFORD, June 25. Though the facts which have to be recorded about the wool textile industry in the West Riding of Yorkshire are far from indicating that it is in a prosperous state, we seem to be approaching a new phase. The introducton of a better state of affairs is perhaps more distant than some optimistic people anticipate, but there are very few of these about to-day. It will .need the utmost skill that can be brought to bear upon the situation, along with no little patience, to bring things through to a successful issue. Reference was made recently to Board of Trade returns, which showed serious decreases in exports of partly and fully manufactured goods. Closely related to this is the fact that the finding of employment for workpeople has for a long time been a source of anxiety. It is very instructive to see how this question is approached by many of the largest employers in the industry. It would be an education for many trade union officials if they could hear some of the statements made on this point. The principal cf one of the laigest spinning firms in this city has stated that he is extremely disappointed with the lack of trade expansion. Instead of being able to find more work he has been compelled to turn workpeople away, and he felt quite ashamed of what was taking place in this direction. MORE WORK WANTED.

The completion of orders in Bradford has been followed by an increase in shorttime working. Employment in wool sorting and combing has been poor, the merino section being best. The woollen manufacturing section has been badly hit, though, as usual, there has been a little overtime, one or two firms in the Huddersfield and Colne Valley district running night shifts. _Employment in the heavy woollen district has _ been very slack, though seasonal activity has been helpful to some Batley firms.

. Taking the woollen and worsted sections together, the latest statistics give unemployment in ths country as 27 per cent., an increase of 1.3 per cent, on April and an increase of 4.7 on May, 1930. This may not seem much, but it is a long way from telling the whole, story, for many mills have a big number of workpeople for whom they can only find partial employment—that is, two or three days per week. This is quite as bad a feature as the other, for it causes a good deal of trouble in more ways than readers can readily understand. Some employers are opposed to the payment of the dole, and have been charged with deliberately arranging the number of hours worked in a week so that their employees could not get it. Whether this is so or not, there is not the slightest doubt that the dole is equivalent to a capital charge on industry for which there is no return, and the sooner things are established on a sounder basis the better it will bp for everybody. . AN IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT. The opinion has been held in Bradford for a very long time that there could be no real improvement in trade in this district until war debts were wiped out and the hoarding of gold in America ceased. President Hoover’s offer to suspend for 12 months the payment of Allied and German debts to the United States has aroused widespread interest. The scheme could not be expected to meet with universal and absolute approval. It is not surprising, for instance, to find that France has received the proposal rather coolly, though, even there, there has been a response in commercial and financial circles. The criticism has been offered in Bradford that the element of uncertainty has not been removed—that for another 12 months the trade will not know exactly where it stands. It is obvious, however, that there is folly in attempting to enforce the payment of debt where such payment cannot be made at once, or may even never be possible at all. The vital point about the moratorium is that it should pave the way for the development of international trade. This way lies the possibility of an improvement in British exports of wool textile goods to various parts of the world. Along with this there would come a reduction in the unemployment in this country, and it should ultimately be possible to tell a very different tale about our exports. Many problems which are now having to be faced would disappear. At the present time employers’ and employees’ organisations are discussing the question of wages. The former commenced by deciding to ask for a 14.6 per cent, reduction, and have since taken a ballot of their members as to whether 11-7 per cent, should be recommended. The outcome of this remains to be seen. The employees are not as well organised as they were before the strike which took place before the Macmillan award. The powerloom overlookers and the combers ceased to be affiliated with other unions, and consequently cannot be approached through the Industrial Council. The tangle will no doubt ultimately be straightened out or forgotten, but if all the combing machinery, spindles, and looms in this district had been running full time the problem would never have arisen.

THE EFFECT ON WOOL VALUES. The paramount question is. How will the moratorium affect raw material values in London and Australia ? Already a slight improvement has come about in Bradford. Too much importance should not be attached to this improvement, but it ca n be said quite safely that the downward tendency in the market value yf both merino and crossbred tops has been stopped. Some talk has already been heard of the next series of London sal-a commencing on a basis of 24d for good 64's. If this is accomplished prices will be very little lower than last series. Even last week some of the leading firms vere beginning to feel that it was time to call a halt, and these are now either out of the market altogether or definitely refusing to quote anything less than 22id to 23d for really good warp 64's tops. Even crossbreds are just a shade steadier, and there are signs of some business in, the background. All this is putting the very best interpretation on the situation that M Possible, for the selling of tops is still in small weights, and altogether caanot amount to more than quite a moderate total. The great weakness is the inability of spinners and manufacturers to sell freely at profitable prices. They are both urging that supplies of raw material will be quite adequate, but topmakers are faced with the fact that the present cost of wool is above what can be realised here for the combed article. Herein the strength of the situation lies, and spinners are beginning to realise the futility of persistent price-cutting, though they are very largely in the hands of their manufacturing clients. Dress goods firms are finding practically nn new "business.

The cable from the National Council of Wool Selling Brokers of Australia estimating that the next Australian clip will amount to 2.942,500 bales has been read with interest. It indicates an increase of about 200,000 bales compared with the 1930-31 season. It is impossible to say anything definite about the clips grown in other parts of the world. No doubt the New Zealand clip will be a good one, and also that of South Africa, but an extra 200,000 bales will not be a formidable proposition, particularly with prices around the current level and if consumption expands in this country and on the Continent. THE WOOL FAIR. Every effort is being made to achieve success with the Imperial Wool Industries’ Fair, which will commence on July 3. It should be a powerful factor in advertising wool goods, and it is hoped that many foreign visitors will be present. Large numbers of private invitations have been sent abroad to possible visitors, as well as efforts made i n other ways to make the fair known.' It will provide many more interesting features, and among firms providing material to be made into garments for mannequins of both sexes are : J. T. and J. Taylor, Ltd. Batley; John Crowther and Sons bridge), Ltd.; Henry Booth and Sons, Ltd., Gildersome; G. Garnett and Sons, Ltd., Apperley Bridge; R. Ratcliffe and Sons (Mossley), Ltd.. Manchester; Lister ami Co., Ltd., Manningham Bills, Bradford: A. and S. Henry and Co., Ltd., Bradford; Priestleys, Ltd., Bradford;

Henry Maso n (Shipley), Ltd.; J. Butterfield and Co. (Textiles), Ltd., Bradford. The British Wool Federation will exhibit Australian, New Zealand, South African, and other wool in the raw state and combed. Sir James Hill and Sons, Ltd., the well-known wool importing and merehanting firm, will exhibit fleeces from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and South America, also specimens of matchings and tops. These are only a few of the-names which might be mentioned, manufacturers being represented by prominent firms, and the retajl section of the industry by Prices Tailors (1928), Ltd., popularly known as “ the fifty-shill-ing tailors.”