OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4006, 12 August 1915, Page 3

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

BRADFORD WANTING TOPS FROM OUTSIDE MARKETS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) BRADFORD, Juno 2b. There is not a groat deal to report this week which shows that the general position has altered greatly since last week. There are indications ot so mo difficulties arising at the miuiufa'tiu’ing end of the trade, owing to orders for certain fabrics not maturing as was originally expected, yet the whole position is one which, reveals very great pressure upon machinery. At the combing end of the trade there has been no abatement, and the latest reports forthcoming from commission combers as well as top makers, are to the effect that the output of combs is less than over. This is one of the most serious problems of the hour, and the need for organisation in this respect is more evident than it has been at any time since the war broke out. There is not the slightest doubt that the extreme prices which are being paid, for fine tops especially, are largely the result of this inability on the part of combers to turn, out weights of tops'which arc sufficient to meet the trade’s requirements. This may not bo the whole and sole reason, but wo think we are justified in saying that it is the largest factor contributing towards the present situation. With a more regular and reliable supply of combed wool there would be much less difficulty in keeping other machinery running, and spinners as a whole would be much more satisfied. A somewhat remarkable statement was made the other day by a member of the trade who is frequently seen on Bradford exchange. He said that there-arc now fewer woolmen visiting that building, and this on the surface appears difficult to understand in view of the- tremendous amount of -business which lias been and is now being put through. The explanation of the apparently anomalous remark is that so many combers and spinners at the present time have more business on hand than they can get through, and have jeon so inundated with enquiries -alien they have been present, that they lave deemed it advisable to be absent, md this in some measure at any rate accounts for the decrease in attendince. AMORE WANTED. If any que#bn is worthy of serious lonsiderat-iQir at the present time i s the oiittfco which reference is made n the afore heading. Our readers lave ajfcady become acquainted with ,he aJcessively high prices which can ie jirade for merino tops. r lho most | *<Warkablo thing in connection with | Mao prices is that they can he made | rot onlv for immediate delivery hut Jiat also for several months ahead, ex,ending right away into 191 b, the denand for fine tops has been so ailormallv large as to bring them up to i level which now ranges around ds bo or 64’s quality. Even. with pnecs at this point it is practically nnpos- | jiblo to satisfy alt needs. And it i* § low becoming apparent that it tins f mmmoditv is to be kept within any- | ihing like a reasonable range, some | source of production which has not ,mt been drawn upon will have to ) Tumi Whatever that souice is does lot seem to be at the present moment i matter of great concern to those w o ;o sorelv need the tops, so long as tin wade is kept .within legitimate clianicds. Two sources have been suggested upon which users of tops in this -ountry might beneficially draw . 1 .u i e are also? evidences ot a desire oil the ).,rt of both these to fulfil the need..vhich are known to exist. When it | realised that any particular market ms an opening for a special line o goods there are generally those who d able to do so will endeavor to snppb t, We have had various enqunic* within the course of the last lew daj* •(wpectitur the possibility o. lopnmkc l. § in America being able to coutnbute their share towards supplying lha | lord’s heeds, and there is no t that were the present obstacles i moved a fair weight of line tops iioulti be received from across the v-atu.. \ The hindrances in the - way of thn coniine to pass at the present time are however, considerable, this hax u boon largely brought about by tindiplomatic measures which our own Board of Trade were compelled to take. If wool had never been exported from America to Germany it mW 1 have been comparatively easy, to-c ay to get fine tops from America mto O's country, but in carrying out the obligations imposed upon it by the Butoffi Board of Trade, the American lex till Alliance evidently dorrs not appear bo at liberty to allow tops from that country to come into A orkshn o I - sounds'like ‘‘draft” officialism, but i certainly the result of America s own previous indiscretion. _ Act <] c> l )ltt i these things some business is known to have been done m tops, etc Lie idea has also been mooted that Australia could help to supply, our ncc L at this time. This would doubtless e welcome, not only to spinners in this country, but should also assist considerably in the consumption of Colonial grown wools. The question, whirl arises in this connection is as to i j f users of tops in Japan nugi . j about the curtailment of then own supplies, but their needs at ‘ 1 wilt moment arc not anything * largs-und so urgent as those " 1 exist in this country and we suggest to Japanese users of tops That_ . > surplus which they hai°> IUK . not likely to go readily mto coemption could jirofitably be diveited to Great Britain. THE EFFECT OF THE WAR. It is generally recognised that the dominant influence, upon .the woo trade is the war which is being w.W on the’ Continent; Though this m bo granted without any exeeptmn whatever, it is also true that so m very unexpected consequences aie uting brougk about. Great reliance has been placed among woolgi owe)., upon the continuance of war requirements as a means tor maintaining - u present satisfactory level ot woo values. Our best information irom the colonies has shown that- produc'd s of.t-ho raw material, particularly those who grew cross-bred wool, have almos ever since the war broke out made themselves certain that their produce would be valuable. These expectations lnivo been more than realised and though, other influences are certainly at work there is no doubt that the demand for military fabrics has helped more than anything else to bring the price of wool to the point at which it now" stands. Wo are, however, getting tired of war. Wo are beginning to realise that though it has helped to expand certain brandies of the world s trade there are other heart breaking losses which .more than counteract aW benefits which may result. Therefore, while wool growers are naturally anxious to sec the raw material selling at the best possible prices, we think we are right in saying that if the cost of wool coulcl be maintained- without the present hostilities having t-o continue they would be greatly gratified. But were the war over to-morrow, too requirements of the manufacturing trade would bo such that wool prices coulcl not humanly speaking he expected to decline. From what we know ot the production of wool in the colonies we are satisfied that this is not m the near future at any rate likely to bo more than sufficient to satisfy the world’s manufacturing needs. In tne West Riding of Yorkshire where military orders are not being, placed at the'present time it is significant that the ordinary home Dado is developing, I and this is helping to maintain prices at their present point. LONDON SALES.

Another scries of sales will commence in London on the 28th instant, and the number of bales which will bo offered is weil over 232,000- Of this quantity about 129,000 will ho composed of Crossbreds, so that roughly speak!nc; the offerings will bo divided, equally' between moral os and crossbreds' So far .as can bo seen at present, thero is every prospect of values for the former description showing an

advance compared with the previous sales. It may be pointed out that the weights of fine wool already available in Bradford are considerable, but prospective home requirements are large, and America is interested. Though fine tops and yarns are to-day at an extremely high point, the raw material from which they are made has not vet sold at a corresponding price, but prospective requirements are such as to justify a o per cent advance. The total weight of wool available an the coming series is larger than it was at the corresponding sales a year ago, and though much has been said about the scarcity of crossbreds, and the inability of the trade to satisfy their needs' for this class ot wool, the Now Zealand offerings scheduled lor sale this time are more numerous than they were last year. Even d we makeallowance for a greater proportion ot merino wools being among those w.nmi come from New Zealand, about JPXK.t* bales represents the increase. Even when this is acknowledged it has to be pointed out that the next supply of crossbred wool will not be available in London till January. 1916. and m the meantime very large requirements will have to be filled. In consequence of this and known needs of the manufacturing trade, there seems to bo every probability that good half-bm: wool's will make an advance ot aboim 10 per cent, while medium wools may be expected to increase 71 to 10 per cent, and coarse wools 5 per cent. MARKET CONDITIONS.

Turning to an examination of the present, 'condition of the Bradford market, it may be said that this week does not show'any groat developmentm> far as the course ol business is concerned. Values are being maintained ; on a full level with those which nave t been previously current, ami mongo ; enquiries are sufficiently large to encourage topninkers to put up then prices, there has been an undercurrent, of unwillingness to sell, which lias firevented actual advances being matte. The majority of topmakevs have quite : as much business as they care to no ; cent, though spinners keep trying u>miv tops for delivery within the nexfew months. This is at once «•.»’ strength and the weakness cu the present situation, and explains why sue.,, extreme quotations are being 1111 with The enquiry for line- tops is considerable, but no amount of selling baa been done, toimmkers eelmg tti.uthe.ro id no wisdom in taking on in - tlior contracts when their books a e filled for the whole of the oresent vein and in many eases two oi mu months into 1916. The earliest, daon which there is any disposition vn sell this year is tor October. A very large enquiry continues fm fine and medium crossbred quahtu. - and carded descriptions around <>U ; are as freely sought afior as cciu From this the argument, is adduce that wools from which these tops am produced will meet, with t-io atg<S’ competition at the coming sales «• London. The prepare.! l,rs are meating with a satisfactory ail, and wm30’s are quoted at 2‘j_Ld, -.0 s at ■ In,? U>* Lrrfcd .t V,l. >t : fairlv high range ol value-. 11. > ' entirely the result ot vhe ‘ < v! V in the ordinary home trade, v,huh n helping admirably to maintain satisfactory level broug.il abmn. by the lingo military requirements. t«n the moment tho trade is resting, having begun to look towards London.