OUR YORK HIRE LETTER

Southland Times, Issue 16841, 18 September 1911, Page 6

OUR YORK HIRE LETTER

SVIDEKCES OE DECDINTNO- TRADE. (From Our Special Correspondent.) BRADFORD, Aug. 11, 1911. It is not often that figures appeal to tlie average reader, but I have long seen (he weakness of paying scant attention to statistics relating to the wool and textile Industries. If there is one trade where figures tell a tale and point a moral it is hero, and the Board of Trade Returns published last Wednesday arc worth more than passing attention. Just as the thermometer indicates the temperature of the day, 'and the barometer tiie probable course of the weather, so tiie monthly statistics allowing the trade and commerce of Great Britain throw a lurid light upon the wool and textile Industries. Tiie outstanding feature of tiie latest figures is the evidence that the boom is over, at least that Is the only natural conclusion that can bo arrived at after studying tiie figures relating to our export trade in semi and fully manufactured articles. Last Wednesday morning the head lines of one of Torksh ire’s leading papers was a little startling and ran thus "Collapse in exports during July,” while tiie Bradford morning paper put the situation in milder language, its announcement being "Exports falling off.” Trade Returns Analysed. I am not so much concerned to-day about the quantities of wool imported into Great Britain during the seven months of the current year as the figures relating to our overseas trade. At tiie same time supplies are important, for out of the raw material coming to hand tops are combed, yarns spun, and pieces made which are sent to the various markets of the world. The imports of sheep and lamb’s wool for the seven months are returned at 555,913,1231bs of which quantity 205.205.4571bs were reexported. leaving for home consumption 380,704,6661b5. The most surprising thing is that there is a decrease in our imports for tiie first seven months amounting to 254,0621bs compared with the corresponding period a year ago. but tiie quantity retained is greater by 31,101,1-t-tlbs. Just as giving the reader a general idea of the countries supplying Great Britain with Colonial and foreign wool I give below a list of imports for the first seven months of the year compared with tiie same period for the last two years:— Sheep or Eambs Wool. 1909. 1910. 1911. FROM Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. R„ ;!K in 1,37-1,928 3,091,209 fi.SO.9J 3 Belgium 4,114,071 3,717,201 1.553.0G0 Frani-e 14.933,232 19.344,CG1 15,847,83.7 Turkey 4,011,201. 3,742,590 0,821,481 Uruguay 3,802,711 2,393,974 3,284,153 Argentine Republic 30.307,049 21,717,413 40,742,8.,;, 3. America (W.C.) 21,075,333 20,519,285 21,346,483 British S. Africa.. 77,112,834 70,793,093 C 5.209.59;* British E. Indies.. 34.243,938 30,527,877 33,570,605 Australia 207,813,070 215,439,885 224,058,303 New Zealand 161,730,083 173,537,418 159,340,730 Falkland Islands .. 2,470,311 3,467,000 2.087,400 Other Countries .. 9.119,017 11,854,871 9,105,118 Total 570,427,221 580,197,185 585,913,123 Alpaca, Vicuna and Llama 3,137,152 3,060,500 3,214,022 Camels’ Hair 4,917,292 3,923,740 4,205,559 Mohair 16,080,385 14,-894,162 10,548,716 It will be seen from the above table that Australia lias supplied us witli a larger quantity of wooi than during tiie two previous years, but there has been a marked falling off from New Zealand. A very significant feature Is the large increase in tiie quantity imported from the River Plate, though some large decreases will lie seen from a glance at tiie figures given above. It is also noteworthy that our imports of mohair have shown a .sensible decline, find are much below what we imported during the two previous years. Marking- Time. Turning our attention to Hie wool trade proper the strike at Loudon docks is having a retarding effect upon trade generally, and everybody rejoices that no woo] sales are taking place. It was on the carpets at tiie recent scries of auctions that the men might throw down the gauntlet and retire any day, but for once fortune smiled upon the trade, and each day’s sale passed off without a hitch. Of course, there fire the ships to unload and tiie direct imports to be sent forward to manufacturing areas, find for the time being things are at a complete standstill. I do not suppose it will do any serious harm if tiie woo! is held up for a week or two, but tiie sooner matters are adjusted, and the men got back to work and the better it will be for all concerned. Strikes never did any good and never will. In Bradford the holiday period proper has now been entered upon, and tills has practically been a blank week. Really speaking the bulk of the mills will bo standing the whole of next week, it being Bowling Tide. I am afraid that Augustis not going to be equal to the same month during tiie past years, and it looks on tiie surface as if a quiet period confronts the trade. Somehow there is abroad a fooling of nervousness, and the tendency is to let things go their own sweet way. Nobody seems to fear any immediate rise in the price of either wool or tops, and two or three firms who chose to go up in a balloon by raising values beyond reason have seen fit to come down to terra firma, and are today offering to take fully Ifcd less than they wore asking last week. Some say they have difficulty In obtaining 2s Gj/.d for a 04’s toj). and no doubt Unit is so. Very similar conditions obtain in crossbreds', and here tln-re is nothing nmeh to shout over, Topmakers complain keenly about an absence of business, at least new orders are not forthcoming, and it is witli difficulty they can make fully as mud; as they could a fortnight ago. Thirty’two’s and JG’.s are very firm, lint in 40’s to 46’s a user can talk and make an impression. There is certainly less doing on export account, and this is all in favour of the buyer. Some are selling at one price or another, and I don’t call quotations any more than firm. Complaints are very rife about quietness obtaining in-Leices-ter, and some travellers who have just returned stale that they find less business offering than during the past two years.