THE WOOL POSITION

Southland Times, Issue 22915, 13 June 1936, Page 14

THE WOOL POSITION

SELLING PROSPECTS LESS FAVOURABLE The prospects of wool-selling in Aus tralia have not of late been as favourable as formerly, states an article in the Sydney Morning Herald. In Bradford business in tops has been less active and irregularity has again been evident in the Continental futures top market. The world’s commodity markets generally have to a great extent lost the influence of war fears, which encouraged stocking up and were partially responsible for the higher prices recorded during the past year. In spite of adverse circumstances wool is- soundly situated from the selling standpoint. In Great Britain and elsewhere rearmament expenditure must give an impetus to employment and thereby to trade. At present warmer weather in the United Kingdom and other countries is not conducive to a large immediate retail trade in woollen goods, but that aspect will pass. The fact stands that no carry-over stocks are on hand in the wool-exporting countries, and millmen will only have the new season’s clip to draw upon for fresh supplies. Dealing with the use of wool, the article states that if, as intended by those concerned in the wool publicity campaign, success is achieved in popularizing the use of the staple, due attention must be paid to the question ot supplies. Despite the depression all the wool grown has during the course of recent years found consumers. It therefore follows that producers, to make their campaign successful in results, must be prepared to meet the extra demand which it is hoped will arise. If inventive genius succeeds in marking artificial fibres provide the warmthgiving properties and wearing capacity of wool, competition will be a matter of price. Under present conditions the only means by which growers can afford to sell their product at a lower price is by producing an increased quantity of it on a given area of land. In that respect research work is probably more pressing in the sheep industry than publicity.