Tuapeka Times AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER AND ADVERTISER. "MEASURES NOT MEN." LAWRENCE: WEDNESDAY, 8th JAN.. 1902. THE WOOL MARKET.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4923, 8 January 1902, Page 2

Tuapeka Times AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER AND ADVERTISER. "MEASURES NOT MEN." LA WRENCE: WEDNESDAY, Bth JAN.. 1902. THE WOOL MARKET.

Thkbe is very little ia the cablet of the last week dealing with the wool market that can be described ai encouraging. It ia more than possible, how* ever, that merino wool may hold ita prices because the statistical position if strong, though the same can hardly be said for crossbred wool. In this respect the marvellous change that has | come over the production of croabreot wool is realised onlj by very few people. Taking the figures of recent years it will be seen that the imports of Colonial and River Plate clean wool in 1895 totalled '580,000,0001 b, of which 396,000,0001 b was merino, and 184,000,0001 b crossbred, that is to say the proportion of crossbred was 31*7 per cent In 1899 the imports totalled 574,000,0001 b, of which 312,000,0001 b were merino and 262,000,0001 b crossbred, the proportion of crossbred being 456 per cent. Thus in tha four years 1895-1899 the importations of cross breds into Europe and America increased by fully 40 per cent., while merino decreased 20 per cent, during the same period. Ia 1899 the proportion of crossbred w*s 17*2 per cent., so that in ten years tha imports seem to have trebled. The magnificent expansion of the frozen meat trade is responsible for this change and the probability is that the production of crossbred wool will continue to increase as the natural sequence of the growth of the mutton trade. Our own colony and the Hirer Plate are the principal producers. The statistics of the River Plate show that in 1888 out of a total production of 374,000 bales of wool 317,900 bales or 85 per cent, were merino. In 1899 out of a total production of 540,000 bales only 135,000 bales or about 25 per cent, were merino. Thus, although there has been an increase of 170,000 bales in the total production there has been a decrease of 180,000 bales in the output of merino wool in the 11 yean. The statistical f ' position, present and prospective, is evidently against crossbred wool, but the immediate outlook is more interesting. Recent advices from tbe Home markets indicate a> good deal of activity amongst wool staplers and buyers generally. The outlook on the Continent, however, ia somewhat unsatisfactory, Germany being prostrated with an industrial crisis of unprecedented magnitude, and tha influence of this is apparently being felt in other directions. The Americans, it may be noted, have not, so far, been very active this year, and their imports of foreign wool* show a substantial decrease, but it must not be overlooked that the United States drew the bulk of their supplies from the South American Republics, and the lessened import means that a larger quantity will have to be marketed in London. Merino wool may show an advance in view of the better* tone prevailing in the English markets, bat the position of crossbred, according to the best authorities, is doubtful, though probably something more decisive will be known on the subject within the next month or two.