. The other day a highly technica) scientist on the subject of wools advised Australia to centre here energies upon the production of high class worsteds, because, he said, we had the best merino wool in the world. This was Bradford advice, and when we understand tlfat the high class worsted trade is a French specialty, and that Austrafian competition in this line would hit France rather then North England, one can understatid the disinterested nature of the recommendation. It has taken Anstralia a long time to realize that it is absurd to grow the wool in Australia, send it to England. and then buy the manufactured product back, and even pay duty on it when it arrives. In 1914 there were only 22 woollen mills in the whole of the Commonwealth, and te-day there are 225. These are divided into 36 weaving and 189 knitting mills, The total capital invested is £3,500,000, and the annual output is £7,650,000. Already over 13,000 bands are employed. At the present time 161 of the 225 establishments are in Victoria, but rapid progress is being made in other States, while New South Wales has a huge wool-top making ostablishment with an export of £800,000 and Victoria one with an export of £400,000 annually. There is hardly a week passes but we read of additional factories being started. One of the latest mentioned is in Perth, W.A., where £90,000 is being' spent in the erection of mills which are expected to get to work exactly twelve, months from now. In this case 50 skilled workers are being brought from England with a view to training the local employees, The manufacture of tweed, cloth, flannel, blankets, rugs, shawls, etc., has now acquired a considerable vogue, and there is room for greater expansion still. The idea, which emanated from _the Bureau of Commerce and Industry, two or three years established near country towns in ago, that the mills shoutd be
the neighbourhood of the supplies of raw material, has been taken up almost as @ political question by the Country party, but despite this there seamy reason to think that the very desirable end will be achieved.
FREIR employers having refused to grant them an increase of 20 cents on their present wages (25 cents), local painters have declared a general strike. It is be lieved, however, that an early tlement. will be eff 2 fected,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.