A FUTURE FOR WOOL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 46, 6 March 1901, Page 2

A FUTURE FOR WOOL.

A Sco Ton firm, Messrs. Morton and J)arvel, are building a place at Ki!lybo;:s, Donegal, <o accommodate over fonv hundred workers, for the purpose ff producing •■ Turkey " carpets by hand-loom weavers Mr. James Mnir, who has a technical knowledge of the business, sends the following nott'.ft on the subject:—The difference between a carpet produced in this way is much the same as that between ma oil painting and a coloured lithograph. The method requires human thought in the process; it is. therefore, an industry which cannot be superseded by power leora, The price pur square yard varej from 17s to 455. World-wide attention has bean railed I 1.0 thisinrhistry, from the Let that the late Quocn Victoria ordered a Donegal rarpet. The design chosen is in shaded red of a very fine quality, and on liand-Eome.-rose-coloured ground. The variety of beautiful desicjnß was particularly remarked on by Sir Fleotwoud Edwards when convoying the order. This new industry will give employment to ma*>y hundreds of girls and boys, and one ff the most important features will be the rearing of sufficient sb.ee,> on these western highlands topupply the full requirements of hj, business whose goods are mada entirely of wool. This word will be spun and dyed on the spot. Turning to t-he statistics on which this industry is b;is?d, it is rflckon r d that one girl will work up in a year the wool of 225 3heep. When the number employed increases to 1000, as is expended in n j very few years, i*. will in ■■■<: th-t consumption of the flaeces of over 10,000 score of sheep annually, and a sum divided among the sheep farmers of something like £15,000. For the spinning, dy : ng and weaving of this woal, the families of thess farmers, or small holders, would earn in wages from £20,000 to £30,000, making a total of perhaps £40 ; 000. For scattered and outlying parts, whe>e girls could not walk night and morning to a factory, a simple device has been invented, whereby, after the girls havs acquired the art, they can take the frume loom to their homes and weave the quaintlydesigned rugs or tapestry panels in their homes, or as they watoh the shepp on the hillsides.