THIRD CHRISTCHURCH WOOL SALE

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27277, 18 February 1954, Page 6

THIRD CHRISTCHURCH WOOL SALE

Prices Remain Fully Firm SLIGHT HARDENING FOR SOME DESCRIPTIONS Prices for almost all types of wool were fully firm at the second and final day of the third Christchurch wool sale yesterday. Some descriptions were a shade dearer than they were on Monday. The exception was Merinos. The best were fully up to Monday’s rates, but others were just as erratic. The outcome of the sale should be very satisfactory to growers. Yesterday's offering totalled 23,246 bales, and with the 22,184 bales sold on Monday, made a total offering of 45,430 bales. Passings were insignificant on both days. Once again, competition on every description was widely spread. Continental buyers, including Eastern European interests, were the main influence in the market for the finer wools. Bradford concentrated on stronger halfbreds, and on three-quarterbreds and crossbreds, but took more interest in the finer wools than was the case on Monday. Bidding was strong and steady throughout the day, and these wools were a shade firmer.

The top price established on Monday, when C. G. Gardner (Emu Plains, Culverden) sold six bales of Corriedale ewe at 86}d, was not beaten, and remains top price for the sale. Top price for Merino was raised to 85fd from 84|d on Monday. Yesterday’s best halfbred price was 83|d, against 85£d on Monday.

The wools offered were of the same general description as those offered on Monday, and were thus a rather better than good average selection of almost every type usually sold at Christchurch. Not a great many extra super wools were included, but it was a useful offering nevertheless.

A very good indication of the soundness of the demand was that yesterday’s offering of 1850 lots was sold in five hours and a half. This is a rate of 335 lots an hour. Every description of wool seemed to be wanted, and buyers bid fast throughout the day. There ■was at times some hesitancy over the lower descriptions of Merinos, but this was the only section in which the pace slackened at all. As was the case on Monday, the

wools offered came from all parts of ? Canterbury, Marlborough, the West Coast and Nelson, with a small showing from the Chatham Islands. Much of the offering was from hill-country properties, and there were a few early shorn high-country clips. As a whole, the wool was sound, well grown, and free from fault. Merinos were again erratic. The best sold at fully Monday’s rates, but ordinary sorts were still very erratic, possibly more so than on Monday. There was a wide gap between the best* which frequently made around 80d, and the worst, which were often below 70cL The fine halfbreds and Corribdales again had a very strong market. The best were possibly a trifle dearer than they were on Monday, and the rest were fully firm. Some of the medium and strong halfbreds were particularly firm, and some of rather ordinary style sold surprisingly well. The three-quarterbreds and crossbreds had another excellent market

and throughout the day were fully up to Monday’s prices. Oddments of all sorts showed no movement from Monday's excellent prices. It was a very ordinary halfbred indeed that failed to make 60d. Any good halfbred wools were worth over 70d, and

super wools mostly made nearer 80d and in cases more. For hill growers these prices were very satisfactory, and hill

growers were strongly represented in the offering. The catalogue was a very big

one, and it was a heartening sign of the stability of the market that it should have been cleared so fast and at such good prices. The Top Prices

Top price for the day was 85 3 4 d for a binned lot of seven bales of Merino in Pyne’s catalogue. The second Merino price of 85d was paid for a binned lot of 14 bales in the National Mortgage catalogue. Other good Merino prices were:—B4‘Ad for four bales of hogget from A. A. McCallum (Branch, Blenheim), who also sold 12 bales at 79‘Ad; 82‘Ad for a four-bale bin in the National Mortgage catalogue; 81d for four bales from B. A. West (Riverview, Blenheim); 80%d for four bales from Scott Brothers (Kainui, Seddon); 80‘Ad for 11 bales of wether from Rossmore Station (Blenheim), which also sold eight bales of wether at 80d, seven bales of ewe at 80d, four bales of maiden ewe at 78d, and four bales of hogget at 79‘Ad; 80‘Ad for four bales from M. Dwan (Brothers, Blenheim), and for a five-bale Jot in Pyne’s catalogue; and two lots at BOd, one of five bales from G. L. Rodgers and Son (Manaroa, Blenheim), and the other of three bales from R. M. D. Johnson (Mount Torlesse).

The official report issued by the Christchurch Woolbrokers’ Association, in conjunction with the New Zealand Woolbrokers’ Association and the New Zealand Wool Commission, states:— A further three catalogues totalling 23,246 bales were submitted on the second day of the Christchurch wool sale, held at the Repertory Theatre yesterday.

OFFICIAL REPORT

The quality of the offering was on a par with the first day, with comparatively few extra super lots, but a large percentage of really useful wools. Competition was, if anything, rather keener than on Monday, and three-quarterbreds and crossbreds showed a firming tendency. Finer qualities were fully firm, but they were still inclined to be erratic at times. A few lines of early shorn lambs’ wool met with good competition, and sold up to 56 3 Ad, but there were not sufficient to give a range of values.

Continental buyers were again the principal operators, but Bradford were bidding keenly on the medium crossbreds and local mills as usual were getting their share of the super lots. The sale must be considered as a very satisfactory one, and the fact that such a large weight of wool has been lifted without any easing of values is a good indication of the present soundness of the market. Practically the whole offering was sold at auction. The following is the official range of prices:— Merino. 60/4 — d. d. Extra super .-. .. to 852 Good to super .. .. 75 to 80

Top price among the Corriedales was Ss‘/ 4 d for six bales of hogget from W. A. Smith (Northbank, Ellesmere), who sold his top classing of four bales of ewe at 80%d. Other leading Corriedale prices ■were: 80 3 4 d for four bales from C. P. Wright (Lynnmore, Methven); 80‘Ad for four bales of ewe from G. D. Gillanders (Nukumai, Darfield); 80‘Ad for 14 bales ©f ewe from R. G. Macdonald (Blythe Downs, Cheviot), 80d for four bales of ewe from P. P. L. Dillon (Leefield, Blenheim) , who also sold ■ eight bales at 78d and nine at 75d; 80d for four bales of ewe from D. S. Studholme (Coldstream), and for three bales of ewe from H. B. Shipley (The Pines, Darfield). Top halfbred price was 83%d for seven bales from E. T. Arthur (Amberley). Other good prices were: 83%d for a threebale binned lot in Pyne’s catalogue; 82 3 Ad for seven bales of ewe from E. M. Murdoch (Ellon, Mayfield); 82‘Ad for 20 bales ©f ewe from N. S. Murdoch (Mayfield), and for a three-bale binned lot in the National Mortgage catalogue; and 81Jd for five bales from W. L. Nell (Middle Rock, Rakaia).

Average to good .. Average .. .. .. 681 to 74 .. 58 to 68 Inferior .. 51J to 57 Southdown, 58/60— Good to super .. 60 to 68 Average to good .. .. 52 to 58 Inferior .. 471 to 51 Extra Fine Halfbred and Corriedale, 58’s and 58/60’s— Extra super .. to 83? Good to super .. 74J to 80 Average to good .. .. 67 to 74 Average .. 58 to 66 Inferior .. .. .. 52 to 57 Fine Halfbred and Corriedale, 65/8— Extra super .. 78 to 802 Good to super .. 72 to 77 Average to good .. .. 65 to 71 Average .. 55 to 64 Inferior .. 49 to 54 Medium Halfbred and Corriedale, 56’s— Good to super .. 67 to 70 Average to good .. .. 60 to 66 Average .. 55 to 59 Inferior . . 48 to 54 Halfbred and Corriedale, 50/6— Good to super .. 60 to 64 Average to good .. . * 54 to 59 Average .. 50 to 53 Inferior . . 45 to 49 Extra Fine Crossbred, 50/6, 52/54’s— Good to super .. 56 to 60 Average to good .. .. 53 to 55 Average .. 481 to 52 Fine Crossbred. 50’s*, 48/50’s— Good to super .. 52 to 57 Average to good .. .. 49 to 511 Average .. 45 to 48 Inferior .. 41 to 44 Medium Crossbred, 46/50 Good to super .. 491 to 51 Average to good .. .. 47 to 49 Average .. 45 to 461 Inferior . . 40 to 43 Extra Fine Halfbred Hogget and Corriedale, 58’s and 58/60— Extra super .. to 85; Good to super .. 75 to 80 Average to gocrti .. .. 67 to 74 Average .. 57 to 66 Inferior .. 52 to 56 Fine Hogget Halfbred and Corriedale, 56/8’s— Good to super .. 70 to 722 Average to good .. e. 62 to 69 Average .. 55 to 61 Inferior . . 50 to 54 Halfbred and Corriedale Hogget, 50/6— Good to super .. 59 to 614 Average to good .. 55 to 58 Average .. 50 to 54 Fine Three-quarterbred Hogget, 50/4— Good to super ,. .. 56 to 58 Average to good .. 52 to 55 Average .. 48 to 51 Three-quarterbred Hogget, 48/50, 50’s— Good to super .. 52 to 54 Average to good .. .. 49 to 51 Average .. 45 to 48 Merino Necks, 60/4 — Good to super Average .. 60 to 69 .. 55 to 59

Fine Halfbred Necks, 58’s— 56/8, d. d. Good to super .. 62 to 673 Average .. 58 to ■31 Inferior .. 50 to 55 Halfbred Necks, 50/6, 56’s Good to super .. 56 to GO Average .. 50 to 55 Three-quarterbred Necks, 50's — Good to super .. . .. 47 to 51 Average .. 42 to 46 Merino Pieces, 60/4 — Good to super .. 62 to G6A Average .. 57 to 61 Inferior. . . 44 to 50 Fine Halfbred Pieces, 56/8, 58’s— Good to super .. 58 to 632 Average .. 50 to 57 Inferior .. 46 to 49 Halfbred Pieces, 50/6, 56’ Good to super 51 to 53 Average .. 45 to 50 Inferior .. 41 to 44 Three-quarterbred Pieces, 50’s, 46/50— Good to super .. 43 to 45 Average .. 39 to 42 Inferior .. 36 to 38 Crossbred Pieces, 44/8— Good to super .. 41 to 43 Average .. 38 to 40 Merino Bellies. 60/4 — Good to super .. 52 to Average . . 48 to 51 Fine Halfbred Bellies, 56/8, 58’s— Good to super .. 49 to 53J Average .. 44 to 48 Inferior .. 40 to 43 Halfbred Bellies, 50/6 — Good to super .. 44 to 48 Average .. 40 to 43 Inferior .. 36 to 39 Three-quarterbred Bellies, 50’s, 46/50— Good to super . / .. 40 to 42 Average .. 36 to 39 Inferior .. 32 to 35 Halfbred Crutchings, 50/8 Good to super .. 40 to 42 i Average .. 35 to 39 Inferior .. 30 to 34 Three-quarterbred Crutchings 50’s, 46/50— Good to super Average .. 38 .. 34 to to 40 37 Merino Locks .. 26 to 28 Halfbred. Locks .. 24 to 35: Three-qiiarterbred Lock . . 21 to 28i Prompt date: March 9. 1954. Next sale: April 24, 1954.