Sale By Sample Experiment

Press, Issue 32333, 26 June 1970, Page 8

Sale By Sample Experiment

Dalgety’s has been experimenting with a new method of presenting wool for sale at its Wiri store, near Auckland, under the auspices of the New Zealand Woolbrokers’ Association. For this week’s Auckland sale about 180 lots, representing about 1800 bales of mainly second - shear and shorter wools, were presented in rows of wooden boxes, a sample of about 101 b of greasy wool being shown in each box at about table height for each lot. These samples were drawn at random from several points in each bale in the particular lot. Along with each lot were two certificates showing respectively yield, as determined by modified chemical core test, and the micron measurement for fibre diameter as determined by the air flow method. For testing purposes at least two cores were drawn per bale and a minimum of 40 cores per lot. Testing was done by the New Zealand Wool Testing Authority, which believes that pre-sale testing could ease the pressure on it for after-sale testing.

Alongside the greasy wool and the certificates a sample of scoured core material was shown to indicate the colour of the scoured product. A special catalogue was prepared for the sale of the lots in the experiment and alongside the lot number information shown included the micron measurement, the yield and a length indication assessed by visual means. The firm said oh the cover of the catalogue that it was pioneering this experimental exercise which presented the trade with the most up-to-date scientific and technical information available. The bales in the lots involved in the experiment were, however, still shown on the show floor in the usual way. Mr K. M. Collins, wool manager for Dalgetys in Christchurch, who saw the experimental exercise at Wiri, said afterwards that his impression was that it had been received very favourably by the trade and he felt that this sort of procedure would eventually be extended to the whole clip. It was. he believed, fair to say that a fairly large part of the clip could be sold in this way almost immediately.

Mr Collins said that the basic aim of the whole exercise was to use modern technology to eliminate existing practices and streamline procedures with a view to reducing costs. As well as providing a service to the trade, it would also mean that the grower would be paid for the product that he presented on the basis of scientifically determined specifications. On a small scale the experimental procedure was also tested at the May sale in Auckland. A section of the special catalogue is shown above.

AUCKLAND 1 Qth.„.Sa 1.6„„.22.6,. 70 WOOL SALE BRAND LOT Description Micron A/F Number of Core* MCCT to 16% Regain and SCD Sample Where Applicable Length Indicator Average Sample Per Lot B/S.' JRP KW 43 E 2/S 34.6 10 82.95 3-5 10 4 REDWOODS TP 44 H 31.0 10 83.65 3-4 10 4 BUSHLEA TP 45 HAA 30.1 8 82.31 2-3J£ 10 5 PAPAROA HAU 46 H 36.1 7 80.02 4-5 10 6 47 H 2/S 31.8 7 78.91 11 6