BETTER PRICES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 270, 28 August 1935, Page 7

BETTER PRICES

WOOL SALE AT CHRISTCHURCH,

HALFBRED UP TO 13 PENCE.

(Special to the “ Guardian.”)

CHRISTCHURCH, This Day

The more encouraging prices recorded for wool at the crutchings and oddments sales in the North Island this month were fully realised at the supplementary sale held yesterday, when 2XOO bales were offered. There was a good attendance of buyers, and foi selected descriptions, competition was active throughout at prices showing a considerable advance on those ruling for similar types at the end of the regular season. The main competition was for the better sorts of fleece and pieces, which were in limited supply, and for the better crutchings, particularly for crossbreds and low half and three-quarterbreds where they were not too heavy. For the best of these sorts there •was a very active demand in which all sections of the trade shared. Foi crutchings, the value was 2d a pound up for the sorts that_ were Fleece wool was definitely dearer, but as there was so little of regular quality, it is a little difficult to say exactly how much. In a number of instances, wool which was passed in earlier in the season at 8d or 8d made lid or more, but for fleece and pieces the sale was most erratic, and followed quality very closely. At auction passings were heavy, but there was little of the wool unsold in the saleroom left in brokers’ hands an hour after the sale. In many instances growers appear to have an over-optim-istic idea of the strength of the market, and many lines were passed in because they were held to limits not justified by| the actual state of the market.

As was the case at the main series, the Continent was active in its demand for better-class pieces, selected crutchings, and such of the fleece wool offered as showed quality. Local scourers and fellmongers, who are generally the mainstay of a supplementary sale, found that the Continent and Bradford were both strong competitors. The best price for the sale was 13d, which was paid for one bale of halfbred offered among the reclassed lots of Dalgety and Company. For two bales of similar wool sold under the same brand, 12fd was paid, and a four-bale lot under the branch E reversed W conjoined, sold by H. Matson and Company, realised the same price. A shilling or ‘better was paid for several lots, and any fleece wool of good quality had little difficulty in making lid or more. Half bred necks made up to ll£d. The price for the better crutchings offered was from 6d to B£d, and little was sold below 4d. Crossbred crutchings were worth up to 7d, but the range for the better sorts was from 4-jd to 6£d. Even locks sold well, and little wool of any description changed hands at' less than 3d.