THE FUTURE OF THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY IN AUSTRALIA. 
to scour wool which would otherwise be better in the grease. Such cases as 
this, or other exceptional ones, the trade and the growers will be quick to 
discover and act upon, and therefore do not affect the general policy of the 
industry. The Government could assist materially by affording facilities for 
technical training, so that the scouring which can be done here may well and 
economically be done. 
Wool Manufacture-—With regard to the conversion of wool into manufae- 
tured goods ready for use, it is of interest to note that, in the year before the 
commencement of the war (1913), the total value of the output of woollen and 
tweed mills in Australia amounted to £917,957. An analysis of the imports of 
textiles into Australia shows that the value of such manufactured articles as 
could well be manufactured here was over £4,000,000, or more than four times 
the value of the locally manufactured. While it is true that the value of such 
goods manufactured in Australia in 1916 had doubled, this was due largely to 
the increase in value, and only to a small extent to any increase in volume of 
goods manufactured. It is clear, therefore, that there is ample scope for 
development of the industry before that stage is reached, when it will be neces- 
sary to consider the disposal of any surplus after meeting local requirements. 
TOTAL PRODUCTION, USED LOCALLY, 
547,702,295 Lbs.; VALUE, £35,964,000. | SCOURED 9,622,491 Lbs. 
FLANNEL 
LOCALLY 
MADE, 
6,077,103 Yds. 
puORS EXPORTED, 
484,553,820 Lbs. 51,817,384 Lbs 
TWEED 
AND 
CLOTH, 
4,161,069 Yds. 
LOCALLY 
USED, 
9,622,491 Lbs. 
FELLMONGERED 
45,958,580 Lbs. 
EXPORTED ON SKINS 
17,189,895 Lbs. 
BLANKETS AND RUGS, 
810,217. 
A considerable extension of the textile manufacturing industry may reasonably 
be expected. Already the industry is protected in two ways. ‘The Australian 
manufacturer has not to pay freight, which, to the English manufacturer, is a 
considerable item. Further, the Australian manufacturer is protected by a 
substantial Customs Tariff. This substantial protection may not have been an 
unmixed blessing. ‘The absence of any appreciable competition may have 
prevented the impetus to increased efficiency. 
Technical Training.—It is probable that there is room for considerable 
‘increase in efficiency, and this can only be secured by ‘the adoption of methods 
similar to those adopted by English manufacturers when threatened by Conti- 
‘nental competition. They discovered that one of the reasons for the rise of 
this competition was the greater attention given to technical training on the 
‘Continent, and led to greater interest and development of such training in 
England. In all the centres of the textile manufacturing industry in England, 
there have heen established technical schools or colleges, which have materially 
assisted the manufacturer by the adoption of better methods and_ increased 
sefliciency to maintain his supremacy. In this country there is practically no 
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