THE WOOL TRADE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19129, 25 September 1936, Page 10

THE WOOL TRADE

AUSTRALIAN REVIEW A BETTER TONE VALUES UNCHANG ED SYDNEY, Sept. 12. Due to some extent to improvement in the class oi' wool submitted at this week s Sydney auctions, competition lias been brighter and wool has been sold moro readily in the sale room. Any change in prices for good to best fleece and skirtings has been upward and rates lor average and faulty lines have shown moro stability.

Yorkshire has continued to operate with freedom, more buyers for that quarter competing than in the previous week. Germany has bought in good volume and more bidding has been noticeable from French and Italian millmen. Competition in addition was experienced on Belgian and Australian account, and America also purchased suitable lines in appreciable quantities. .1 a pan again refrained from purchasing. The catalogues included a sprinkling of central western clips, and more of the freer north-western wools than the. previous week's offerings. The western and south-western plain areas, however, provided a large proportion of the supplies and wools showing fault and dust from the mixed farming and grazing country of the inner north-west were also submitted.

London sales are to open on Tuesday, and cheerful feelings are held regarding demand and prices in that- centre. South African authorities anticipate a strong market at African sales. SPINNERS' AND TOFMAKING WOOLS

For some years a very small difference existed between the price of spinners’ and topmaking wools. That aspect of the market was very apparent last season when the difference in the clean cost on the floor Sydney stores of average 64/70’s fopmaking fleece wools and G4/70’s spinners’ fleece was at times only Id per lb, and generally- between September and May not more than 2d. Some years previously when values were on an approximately similar basis the cost of the two types was 4d apart. The latter margin separates the two classes of the staple this season.

The change in competition experienced owing to the absence of Japanese buying is largely responsible for the rewidening in the margin of the two types quoted. In 1928-29 when prices were on a higher basis than (his season, Sydney September catalogues averaging 17.5 d per lb, the difference in the clean cost of the topmaking and spinners’ fleece quoted was 6d. It is regrettable from the viewpoint of the grower of burry topmaking fleece wools that prices are not more favourable, but at current figures greasy, burry average to best merino fleece wools are realising 13d to 16d, and inferior lid to 12d. A year ago average to best lines were quoted at 14d to 17d. and inferior lid to 13d, and in late September, 1935, average to best lines were making 13d to 15|d, and inferior llid to 12J,d. The actual change in the market compared with twelve months previously is not great. The main alteration is that the freer well grown wools now show a more customary margin over burry wools than was seen last year. Even in 1934-35 fhe difference in the price of the two classes was appreciably more in 1935-36. WOOL AND SUBSTITUTES Recently in Regent-street-, London, an exhibition was held of “Lanital,” the socalled artificial wool produced from milk in Italy. In commenting upon it the Textile Mercury and Argus, of Bradford, stated t-luit it is the nearest approach to wool so far manufactured, but even in any material 25 per cent, of real wool was noticeable, apparently a necessary strengthener. Whilst it. would be injudicious to decry the possibilities in the manufacture of fibres akin to the sheep’s staple, it would he equally hasty to as--sumo that they threaten seriously to jeopardise the use of wool. Most of the mixture fabrics of artificial fibres and wool seen in Australia have contained 60 per cent to 75 per cent of the latter, and even then they do not compare with the genuine article for softness and hard wearing quality. Assuming, however, that the public are willing to wear them owing to lower cost, will their use cut down wool consumption? They will not wear as well, nor will apparel made from the mixture fabrics retain its shape as long as the pure article. In most branches of manufacture, the products turned out have not the lasting qualities of a few. years ago. The motor car of some time ago was more solidly constructed than the present-day car, which is not expected to run for such an extended period as its predecessor. The very fact of cars requiring earlier replacement, and also their lower price, has tended to advance the number sold in the- world annually, and, therefore, to increase the quantity of metal and other materials minimi in car construction. To date, all wool grown has found ready users despite an ever-vising output of artificial fibres. The countries which produce the latter, still want wool. Experience will in the course of time show the trend of development. News has been received in Sydney that in Japan the production of staple fibre early this year was 35 tons a day, but plans provide for an extension to 177 tons a day by the end of 1936. If they materialise, if- is the intention to use a portion of this output in the making of cloths for military and other uniforms.