BRITISH WOOL INDUSTRY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 301, 21 December 1945, Page 5

BRITISH WOOL INDUSTRY

MORE LABOUR WANTED EFFORT TO RESTORE THE EXPORT TRADE (Soacial Correspondent—N.Z.P.A.) Rccd. 7.50 p.m. London, Dec. 20 A itrong deputation from the British wool textile Industry lately urged Government departments io do everything possible to expedite the release of more forces personnel and war workers into British woollen mills, in order that output may be much increased to meet world demands.

The industry needs practically 100 000 workers to les.ore its prewar personnel, and with world wool accumulations awaiting liquidation and world markets hungry tor wool goods, it is regarded as vital that workers must be reiurned to the mills as quickly as possible. Everything possible is being done to step up Britain’s rate of wool consumption

Production of wool goods for civilian trade is steadily increasing, and there are hopes of higher allocations for expoi t shortly. Meanwhile, there is growing anxiety in trade circles here to take the fullest possible advantage cf export trade opportunities in wool and processed wool, such as tops, for which there is great need on the Continent. Wool Control recently relea-ed for export further substantial quantities of crossbred tops of 48’s, 46's ‘and 44’s qualities—which means that the available total will be almost entirely composed of New Zealand wool—and these are available to all countries with which Britain has permant arrangements. This is only the second occasion since the end of the war on which New Zealand tops have been made available for export, and since no Aus ralian tops are yet available f<.r export, it would seem crossbred top* are the v.i’y types in which ther<is a stock margin at present which can be placed at the disposal of overseas buyers. The trade is anxious to :ee a rapid extension to export facilities in both woo] and tops, and points out that although the war in Europe has been endeo some months. Britain’s total expor-s of imported wool this year are less than onethird the pre-war normal. At the moment it seems that exports of wool and lops from Britain must be governed by the spot stock position in relation to priority needs at Home, and there is evidence that the authorities are alive to the need to make maximum possible supplies available to Continental Europe. To this end traders are hoping for an early resumption of unrestricted comme. cial importation facilities into Bri.ain as a necessary preliminary to an extended export trade.