LUCKY WOOL GROWER

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30302, 30 November 1963, Page 12

LUCKY WOOL GROWER

First Sale In Exchange When the first wool sale to be held in the Wool Exchange at Addington Show Grounds began yesterday, the chairman of Wool Exchange Christchurch, Ltd. (Mr G. N. Francis) officially offered the first lot before handing over to Mr D. C. Gould, the regular wool auctioneer for Pyne, Gould, Guinness Ltd There was a flurry of bidding for the first lot—lo bales of Romney ewe wool from M. E. Wilkinson (Parnassus). There was clapping and cheers when it was knocked down to Mr A. Watmough. managing director of J. S. Brooksbank and Company (Australasia). Ltd. Mr Watmough has been buying wool in New Zealand for about 27 years. For a special occasion Mr Watmough paid a special price, which he said was possibly about 6d per lb higher than ruling rates. It was 691 d per lb.

Mr Francis said afterwards that it was by chance that it should have been Mr Wilkinson's wool that was the first to be offered in the new building. Buyers and their assistants and the staffs of wool brokers found the new exchange building pleasant. The richly-carpeted auditorium was in striking contrast to the bare boards of the stage at the Repertory Theatre, as was tlie neat office accommodation in the exchange in comparison with the cramped tables behind the stage al the theatre. There were a few minor teething troubles in settling in to the new quarters, but there was general praise for the facilities and the building seemed to come through its first test well.