The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER TUESDAY, JULY 29, 1913. THE WOOL CLIP.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 71, 29 July 1913, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER TUESDAY, JULY 29, 1913. THE WOOL CLIP.

Dalgeiy's Annual Wool Review for Australasia this year will be found of special interest, to those in any way connected with the industry. It i<s satisfactory to learn from it that notwithstanding the severe drought experienced for ten months prior to the commencement of the wool season, which closed on June 30th last, the results obtained by producers have boon better than at one time seemed possible, duo in a large measure to the value of wool having advanced from £ll 15s od per bale in 191 1-12, to £l3 13s Id per bale in 1912-13. The total value of the clip sold in Australasia during the past twelve months amounted to 24$ millions sterling, as against 22£ millions sterling for the previous season, notwithstanding that only 1,804,801 bales wore sold, as against 1,926,926 bales in the previous ycxir. It is also gratifying to know that the wool year closes with rallies for our staple product consideribly higher than at this time last year, and that there is every reason to export a continuance of a strong con-

sumptive demand during the comiiu year, without violent fluctuations fron the present payable range of prices -inch an almost universally good season has seldom been experienced throughout Australia as has ruled ever nncc last shearing, whilst in New Zealand the conditions have been up to the average. Wool has continued to make splendid growth, and the lambing and wool clip are already assure:!, so that prospects ahead for the producers of our primary products are distinctly good, and can only be upset by 4 slump in trade or international conlliettj, neither of which seems likely to occur, though nothing is safe until the difficult position in the Balkans indefinitely settled, and the world's! mojiey markets present a more stable! oh! look. The Review- emphasises one I clear outstanding faci in connection, with wool interest's, which is that con-

sumption lias already overtaken production. Supplies- will not he large during the ensuing wool year, though there will be some considerable in-

rease in production from Australia

despite the terrible mortality amo:i;: -. grown sheep and poor lambing during the year 1912. A point well worth noticing is that sheep slaughterings for home consumption and export have leached such dimensions that it will be many years before the flocks of Australia can be built up again to anything like former numbers. The froz-

en meat industry is proving a very profitable one, and is sure to expand, and . especially so when -felie doors of either, or hoth the United States and Germany are thrown open for the free reception of Australasian meat. which is assured of a demand which it will be impossible to supply unless by slaughtering more sheep than we should do. Already it is a regrettable fact that both in New Zealand and Australia a heavy proportion of ewes and ewe lambs are being killed annually for export—a practice which, if continued, will exert a very unfavourable influence on pastoral interests.