WAR TIME PROFITS IN AUSTRALIA.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16033, 26 January 1920, Page 5

WAR TIME PROFITS IN AUSTRALIA.

The British Borrd of Trade Journal draws attention to the war-time profits made in Australia on soft goods of various descriptions, taking the figures from the last report, of the Inter-State Commission. Talcing the 22 woollen mills, their average profits in the four years 1914-17 were 31.33 per cent, per annum, though the 1914 contribution was under per cent. Fourteen hosiery and knitting manufactories in the same four years made air average net profit of 25| per cent., as against only 13 per cent, in 1914, and they all employed imported yarns. Manufactories of clothing cannot be so accurately measured, but they also made large profits. Shirts, collars, and pyjama factories were modest, and only netted something over 10 per cent. Felt hat factories returned 13£ per cent, in 1915, 14 per cent, in 1916, and 13J per cent, in 1917. The soft goods warehousemen in 1916 averaged 13 per cent., and in 1917 lot per cent., while the . retail drapery establishments in 1917 secured 12J per cent, on an average. These returns were after paying all expenses.