Fine Wools Sell Well At Start Of Last Sale

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29798, 14 April 1962, Page 18

Fine Wools Sell Well At Start Of Last Sale

V alues for most classes of wool held well to recent levels when the fifth and final Christchurch wool sale for the 1961-62 season opened in the Repertory Theatre yesterday. A full bench of buyers exerted a strong demand for all classes, and more than 98 per cent, of the offering was sold. For the high-country man, the sale had an encouraging note with Merino and fine half-bred and Corriedale fleece appearing to show a slight improvement. Crossbred and other wools were about firm.

The better fine wools from file hill country were slightly firmer on the February Christchurch and Timaru sales, although the top wools were not as attractive as those which made to 6Cd and better in February. Crossbreds were quoted about firm on the recent Wellington sale, although some of the plainer lines might have been a shade weaker.

The average price for the day would not be as much as that at the last Christchurch sale, as there was a bigger offerins of crossbred wool from the West Coast and Chatham Islands, and a big offering of lambs' wool There was also a fair carry-over of oddments from the earlier sale

Bradford was reported to be exerting a strong influence on the market, and Continental interests were in force, together with some American and Japanese buying on specialty lines. Compared with the same sale a year ago, the better fine wools were reported to be 2d to 3d per lb dearer, but crossbreds were 2d to 2Jd per lb cheaper. Down and Cheviot-cross wools showed a definite weakening. Light Passings Passings were extremely light, and a check of the first 10.000 bales offered showed only 170 had not been taken at auction. The Wool Commission again exercised only a watching brief, and only on one or two occasions did it place its floor-price bid which was quickly covered, and the wool sold. The healthy tone of the market was shown in the brisk pace of selling. The day’s offering of 19,950 bales was cleared by just after 1 30 p.m., at a rate of 380 lots an hour.

There were few super lots in the offering, which was described as being mainly of good average-quality wools Typical of an end-of-season offering, it included a wide range of types, but they had opened u>p well, and there was less yellow decoloration than usual. Some of the wools were heavier in condition, mainly because of dust, and there was some vegetable matter in the later-shorn high-country clips. The second-shear wool was of good quality and colour, and of a fair length. Some attractive lambs' wool was included. The wools were drawn from Canterbury. Marlborough, and Nelson, together with a big consignment of West Coast lines, and the bulk of the Chatham Islands’ clip. While some of the plainer hill-country fine wools showed no change, the bulk of the good lines sold from about 48d to 53d. with better lines making from 53Jd to 57%d Binned halfbred made the top figure with Corriedale wool from MidCanterbury making 57d. and binned Merino to 5Sd. A fair weight of Merino realised from old to 55d.

Good three-quarterbred wools also enjoyed a sound sale, with a substantial weight selling from 48d to 53Jd, which was paid for a binned lot. Crossbred Wools In line with current trends, the crossbred market was about firm, with good competition fot the better lines, which sold from about 47d to the top price of old Chatham Islands’ crossbred hogget made to 49Jd Top second-shear wools made to 49ri for halfbred, and 48Jd for crossbred, and a good weight of wool made 41d to 47d. Lambs’ wool and piece wools met keen competition, and prices were fully firm on recent rates, with the better grades showing a possible slight improvement. Best fine lambs' wool ranged from 41d to 44d with average to good at 36d to 40d. Best crossbred lambs’ wool made 44d to 48 3 ,id, with average to good at 38d to 42d Merino necks brought 41d to 47d. halfbred necks 38%d to 48Jd, three-quarterbred necks 32d to 44d, Merino pieces 27d to 43d, halfbred and Corriedale pieces 33d to 44d, with second pieces at 18Jd to 27d. three-quarterbred pieces 26d to 38Jd, and crossbred pieces 31d to 44d Merino bellies made 32d to 40Jd, halfbred bellies 22d to 41 Jd. three-quarterbred bellies 26d to 35 Jd. and crossbred bellies 26d to 32d. Fine-wool locks ranged from 12d to 18Jd, and crossbred locks to 17jd. Finewool crutchings sold from 18Jd to 36Jd, and crossbred crutchings 17Jd to 35Jd Leading Sales Top price for halfbred wool was 57%d—the highest price of the sale—for a binned lot of two bales offered by Dalgety and New Zealand Loan. Ltd The next best halfbred price was SSJd, paid for a lot of two binned bales sold by the New Zealand Farmers’ Co-op-erative Association, Ltd., which also sold four at 54Jd Dalgety’s sold another binned lot of five bales at 56d and six at 54 3 ,id, while A. T. Allan (Scargill) told a bale at 55Jd and seven at. 54d. G. T. Askin (Ashburton) received 54Jd for four bales and the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd., sold three binned bales at 54 3 , 4 d. The best Merino price was 56d for a binned lot of six bales sold by Dalgety and New Zealand Loan, Ltd. Another binned lot of eight bales, sold by the New Zealand Farmers’ Co-op-erative Association. Ltd., brought 55d. while the same price was gained by Miss M E. Goulter (Blenheim) for five bales. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company’, Ltd., sold a binned lot of two bales at 54 3 ,d, and two other binned lots at 54 Jd G C Urquhart (Flock Hill) sold 3 bales at 53 jd and four bales of hogget at the same price. The New Zealand Farmers’ Co-op-erative Association. Ltd. also sold a binned lot of six bales of warp at 53%d. Corriedale wool brought up to 57d for four bales from C. G. C. Harper and Son (Hackthome). Mrs F. R. Hood (Somerton) gained second-highest price with 54 jd for four bales, and Harper and Son received 53 3 ,d for six bales. A. C. Ranby (Cheviot) and F. C. Trounce (Waikari), each gained 531 d for lots of nine and five bales. The best price for threequarterbred wool was 53Vad, paid for a binned lot of two bales sold by the New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative Asocia-

Aion. Ltd. Dalgety and New Zealand Loan. Ltd., sold a bin-

ned lot of nine bales at 51 3 . id, while R. C. Bean (Mayfield) and L. E. Taylor (Oxford) each gained 51d for lots of four and 11 bales. For crossbred wool the best price was 51d, paid for a binned lot of four bales sold by the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd Another binned lot of four bales of hogget wool sold by Dalgety and New Zealand Loan, Ltd., brought 50lid, and a third binned lot of five bales sold by the Loan and Mercantile Company made 50d. Other binned lots were sold at 49 3 4 d by Dalgety and New Zealand Loan Ltd., and the same price was gained by F D. Richards (The Point Station) for four bales of hogget. C H. Preece (Chatham Islands) sold four .bales of hogget at 49Jd The best price for Down wool was 53 3 4 d, paid for a binned lot of two bales sold by the New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative Association. Ltd. Next best, was SO'ad, paid for a binned lot of two bales sold by the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd. Of the second-shear wools the best price was 49d for four bales of halfbred, sold bv J G Crawford (Rangiora). E. J Pawsey (Bushside) sold four bales of crossbred at 48V;>d, while two binned lots of six bales of halfbred were sold bv

the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd. at 47>id and 47Jd. The New Zealand Farmers' Co-oper-ative Association Ltd., sold four binned bales of halfbred at 46d. Lambs' wool sold up to 45Jd for a binned lot. of 13 bales of halfbred sold by thb New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association. Ltd. Another binned lot of five bales of crossbred, sold by Dalgety and New Zealand Loan Ltd., brought 43Jd. Kennedy Bros. (Totara Flat! and Mrs J. R. Miller (Kangiora) each gained 45d for three bales of Romney and five bales of three-quarterbred respectively. S. L. Button (Staveleyi received 4494 d for four bales of crossbred. Details of catalogues offered yesterday, in order of sale, were: Bales Dalgety and N.Z. Loan. Ltd. .. . 10.655 N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd. .. 3.283 N.Z. Farmers’ Co-opera-tive Association Ltd 6.012 19.950 The sale will conclude on Monday, with the offering of a further 21,277 bales which include, in order of sale. National Mortgage and Agency Company. Ltd. (10,904 bales) and Pyne, Gould, Guinness Ltd. (10.373).