Possible Clues:

• Fibre from old rope
• Midlands town said to have ropy bits
• Fibre from unravelled old rope
• What convicts used to pick from tree, with some show of hesitation
• Fibre obtained from tree with hesitation
• Loose fibre from old rope
• Interjection used with wood to keep out the drink
• One hand-picked foreign leader accepts our country in recession
• Hemp or jute fibre
• What prisoners picked tree with little hesitation