FIRST CHRISTCHURCH WOOL SALE

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25679, 16 December 1948, Page 9

FIRST CHRISTCHURCH WOOL SALE

Record New Zealand Price of 81d

STRONG BUYING BY LOCAL MILLS

A «7 rd EF ic . e . f ? r New Zealand wool. 81d per lb was established m Christchurch at the first main wool rile of Ihe season, yesterday. It was paid for four bales nf Mm-i™ tn ® from the Richmond Brook clip, of Seymour Richmond Mari* borough. Six lots of Merino brought 80d or more. * There was spirited and fast bidding throughout th« from a full bench of buyers, but comparatively few were successful. Local mills were always in the market for th! choicest lines, and obtained most of them, although they had to meet strong competition from Continental buyers, and later North American buyers. Bradford buyers were fair"y quiet’ and the prices appeared to be a little too high for them. ’ In spite of the altered exchange rate, values were better a Some°of n the ff nd g °° d the peak sa,es last ««*■ gbn. Some of the middle classes seemed a little erratic but generally the prices justified brokers’ optimism. litih?e a Jnd f T n’ 1 d% bale . S WaS °. ffered ’ Passings were almost negligible and J.O. did not come into the bidding at all. . ft ! Ost „° f lk the °ff erin <, came from north of the Rangitata r e L°U UB x’ f a h d WaB mai " lv hogget W °° 1 ’ as « usual for the first sale. Nothing came forward from the Chatham Islands or the West Coast, and only a few Banks Peninsula growers were represented. Generally, the wool offered opened up verv well narticularly that from the tussock country. Because of the dry autumn paddock wools showed a fair amount of dust, but even go the wool was cleaner than usual. On the prices the gross returns may well be a record for Christchurch, if not for New Zealand. The sale began in the Civic Theatre at 8 a.m. and ended at 9.5 p.m.

Early in the sale it appeared that high prices would be obtained, and after only a few pages of the first catalogue had been offered, a local mill paid 61jd for 15 bales of Corriedale hogget. Halfbreds in the same catalogue were also sold at prices above 60d.

Very spirited bidding came when the Lansdowne stud Merino clip of J. M. Samson came on the market, and the first six bales went to a broker with Americar interests for 70Jd, breaking the record of 66d. established at the last main sale in Dunedin. The next six bales went to a local mill for 67Jd, and another local mill then bought seven bales at 80d. The bidding opened at 70d. and rose Suickly with Continental buyers biding against the purchasers. Not until the last catalogue was the record of 81d established, but earlier there had been two other sales at 80d, one at 80jd, and one of 80 Jd. With the exception of one clip, all came from Marlborough. Fine Corriedales and halfbreds. the bulk of the offering, were eagerly sought by a number of buyers, and local mills and the Continent were the strongest buyers. Particularly good lots seldom realised less than 58d or 59d and the top price received was fl<d. There were some very quick bidding runs for some lots. Id and 2d rises being fairly common. One lot of halfbred fleece reached 52d and was bumped to 55£d by the next bid. Some of the most spirited bidding occurred when the cheaper wools were offered, and good prices were received for fine crossbreds, the top price being 36d, compared with 28d last year. The big demand for hogget wool was evident by the prices obtained, 57d. 58d. and 59d being offered fairly frequently for fine halfbred hogget. Good prices were received for oddments. and the prices for crutchings were well up on those received at the October crutching sale. Throughout the day there .was quite a large audience for the sale. Some went for enjoyment, and had no financial interest, but wool growers seemed to derive almost as much enjoyment and were well pleased with the prices. The High Prices Few of the choice Merino lots sold it less than 60d. Three bales from the Snowdon clip of Miss L. B. M. Wills and Le Oren. Snowden, brought 80d. Twelve bales were sold at 80Jd on behalf of the trustees of Donald Rudd, Blenheim, and Seymour Richmond, who secured top price, also sold eight bales of Merino hogget at 80d. Nine bales of the Brothers Merino clip brought 80jd, and four more were sold at 70d. The Brothers is part of the original Lansdowne block which is now run by the and Survey Department awaiting settlement by former servicemen farmers. On behalf of G. L. Rogers and Son, Blenheim, four bales of Merino were lold for 79jd. five bales of Merino •we from the Clencairn clip of L. G. Dollar. Seddon. sold at 78Ad. and 75jd was paid for six bales of Merino from the Eskdale clip of C. D. Chisnell. Hinds. Six bales from the estate of Duncan Rutherford. Culverden. brought 76jd. Included in the best prices for Corriedales were 65jd for four bales of •we and 60? d for another four bales from the Lammermoor clip of D. W. Ensor, of Cheviot. Seven bales of ewe wool from H. M. Burgin, Swannanoa, sold at 60id, and a similar price was received for four bales of ewe hogget wool from Edward Ensor, Okuku. E. F. J. Grigg, of Blenheim, was paid for 15 bales of Corriedale hogget. The Brookdale Estate. Parnassus, received 60d for eight bales of ewe Wool.

Four bales of halfbred from Bowens Valley J. F. Scott, brought 62? d. and from the same clip eight bales realised 60d. A. Stone. Woodlands. Hororata. received 63d for four bales of •we. and 61 Id for another seven bales. T. Stone, of Hororata, received Gold for four bales of ewe, and for four bales of hogget D. G'. H. Bush. Parnassus, received 60d. For five bales °f ewe R. R. Furze. Heathcote, received 61 id. Five bales of ewe from the Sulphur Springs Estate, Scargill, realised 612 d. and a bin lot of H. Mat*9° and Company realised 6O’.d for eight bales. J. F. Lockhead. Omihi. received 62]d for seven bales of hogget.