Rangitikei Advocate. TWO EDITIONS DAILY WEDNESDAY, JULY 24, 1912. EDITORIAL NOTES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10409, 24 July 1912, Page 4

Rangitikei Advocate. TWO EDITIONS DAILY WEDNESDAY, JULY 24, 1912. EDITORIAL NOTES.

THE Annual Wool Review for Australasia, published by Messrs Dalgety & 00., gives some "interesting statistical information. It states that the value of the past 'season’s wool production: in Australia and New Zealand, for export, was 29 % millions sterling, as compared with 81% millions sterling for the previous season, the difference In the value of the two clips being accounted for by the average value per bale In 1011-12 having been £ll 15s sd, and in 1910.11, £l2 10s 4d. Actual oversea shipments of wool during the past twelve months have amounted to 2,020,547 bales (or 063,845,9071 b) from the Commonwealth, and 493.368 bales (or 109.915,9391 b.) from New Zealand, a total of no less than 2.613,915 bales, or 832,761,8461 b.). valued at £29,591,874, The total value of the 1.920,926 bales sold in Australasia has been £22,683.090, as against £33,348,002 in 1916-11.9 The flocks in Australia aud New Zealand now total 117,011,654, having Increased since iast year’s returns were published by the comparatively small number of 977,481 head. Sheep numbers have regained practically stationary during the past three years, but’ the figures are higher than during any period of the past 18 years, the previous record having been in'lß9l, when the total reached 124,991,920 head. The smallness of the • increase in recent years is largely attributable to the very large numbers which have been slaughtered for export and local consumption, and it is significant that the opinion is generally held that sheep numbers were, prior to. the drought, quite as high as could with- safety be carried in normal seasons. There has been a general all round improves! snt in the larger flocks, and a very high standard has been reached, especially in respect to merinos, a fact which will he appreciated when it is remembered that though there were many mere sheep to shear, say 20 years ago, the-shorn during the past season eclipses all previous records, while the weight out per head is greater'than in any. country in tbe world without any deterioration in tbe wool, which comes an ea?y first, though it may not be so fine in quality as formerly,

FROM, the foregoing acme idea can be formed of the great importance of this industry to the dwellers io Australasia and the desirability of the State doing all'that is possible to aid in its maintenance and development. As regards the future, Dalgaty & (Co. say that there are several factors which are likely to have an important bearing |on tbo course of the wool market during the ensuing twelve months, the first of thste being, the certainty of diminished Australian wool produotion owing to the severe, though short, drought recently experienced throughout must of the wool growing districts of tiie Commonwealth, Another is the great probability of a revision of the American ‘wool tariff in favour of oversea woolgrowers, some pronouncement in respect to which may be expected gftar the Presidents! election in November next. The third is the fact of favourable trade conditions generally, practically only affected at the present time by industrial troubles. Summing up the position, as it affects wool producers, they are of the oninion that the ensuing Australasian clip will come on to a favourable market, and that there will be a strong demand from all sections of buyers at prices showing an improvement on the rates In foroa in the past season Tine clip as a whole cannot be equal, either in quality or condition, to Its predecessor, in addition to which It is inevitable that there be a lighter cut per sheep, so th*.t the enhanced values which it very likely will rule should 1 compensate growers to some extant, for the drawbacks which we fear most graziers will experience, ”

WB regret to notice the expressed intention of Mr Berries. Minister for Railways, to have all . looomofives made in the Dominion, because it | indicates that the restrictive, falsely called “protective” policy, which has injured this country for Be long, Is not‘likely to be abandoned. It is also regrettable because it means that Ibe locomotives required for our railways will continue to cost at least a third more than the price at which they could be supplied by others, thus making it necessary to charge higher freights or obtain less profit. The idea that building locomotives here “keeps money in the country” is of course utterly absurd. .It eaves the “counters” of wealth from being seat out, but it makes us lose “valoe” to the amount of the difference between the imported cost and the local mannfaotare. Out cf £IOO,OOO spent on tbs local manufacture of locomotives over £30,000 of “value” Is ' to the country.