Fine-wool market eases at Christchurch sale

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32542, 27 February 1971, Page 20

Fine-wool market eases at Christchurch sale

There was little comfort for fine-wool growers in the sixth Christchurch wool sale of the season, held at the Wool Exchange at Addington yesterday.

On average, values for halfbred and Corriedale wools, which predominated in the selection, Were back by about another 1c per lb on last month’s local sale.

With the sale sagging as the day progressed, some authorities put some of these wools back by 2c per lb and more in the latter stages.

Many fine-wool producers will have reason to be thankful for the Wool Commission and its system of supplementing growers’ returns to bring them up to floor-price levels. While commission representatives, in accordance with policy, issued no details of its supplementing operations, it was learned unofficially that finer wools were supplemented extentensively, auction prices being lifted by as much as 8c per lb in the case of some Merino wools, including some of the top wools in the sale.

Daring the latter stages of the day, in particular, the commission also had a fairly steady stream of fine wools passed to Its bid.

Compared with the last fine wool sale at Timaru early in the month, fine and medium halfbreds and Corriedales were quoted as generally unchanged, with the stronger halfbreds easing as tii e sale progressed, and being fully 2J per cent cheaper at the end of the day. REASONABLE OPENING The sale opened with these wools in relatively good demand, competition from Eastern Europe

being a factor in the market. However, as buyers apparently began to fill their orders, the market weakened markedly during the afternoon. The percentage of passings increased, some wools being more than per cent easier. In the opinion of some wool men. fine and medium halfbreds sold during the afternoon were as much as 2c to 2£c per lb in the grease below rates ruling last month. Except for the better style pieces, halfbreds skirtings were also weaker than at Timaru. A small offering of Merino again sold at very modest rates —and some of these wools were again passed in at auction. These wools were described as being barely steady on recent Timaru rates. Crossbred wools had a relatively good day. fine and medium sorts being fully 2J per cent dearer than at the Auckland sale earlier in the week, and in sellers’ favour for coarse to extra strong types. Skirtings also showed a 2J per cent advance. However, crossbred wools were not on offerin large quantities. Early estimates put the average price for the sale at between 24c and 25c per lb, or about 1c to lie below last month’s average. which was 2.3 c behind the December result. GROUP OFFERING A feature of the sale was a combined offering of 30 bales of Polwarth wool from 15 growers in Hawke’s Bay, the Wairarapa, Blenheim, and Canterbury. This was the second year that these wools had been put up for auction by New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative Association for the New Zealand Polwarth Sheepbreeders’ Association.

On the day, the wool had a good sale, making from 291 c for

lambs’ wool to 381 c for extra fine fleece.

Mr J. C. Andrew (Masterton), president of the Polwarth association, who with other representatives of the breed attended the sale, said that they were endeavouring to produce a quality article which would meet the requirements of the trade. The aim was to produce a white, soft handling wool of 58s-60s quality. The main weight of Merino wool brought from 30c to 34c per lb. The bulk of the fine halfbred and Corriedale was making from about 29c to 32c, medium qualities from 28c to 31c, and coarser sorts from 26c to 29c. The finer crossbreds were bringing mainly from 26c to 29c, medium qualities from 24c to 26c, and coarser sorts from 23c to 25c. Whereas the Merino, halfbred, and Corriedale wools were trailing last months’ sale by at least lc, the crossbreds were selling at least as well as a month ago. "INFINITELY CHEAPER" A year ago, the finer wools were reported to be cheaper than at any of the February sales in the previous four seasons, but yesterday they were infinitely cheaper. Merinos were from 10 to 13c per lb lower, and halfbreds and Corriedales were down by 3c to 9c. The fine crossbreds were also back on last year’s February sale, but medium and stronger types were about on a par. Fine and coarse lambs’ wool was selling yesterday between about 15c and 26c. Fine wool necks were bringing from 23c to 33c, and the coarser sorts from 21c to 28c; fine wool pieces from 18c to 30c with coarse pieces at 14c to 21c; and fine wool bellies were making from 15c to 23c, with coarse bellies at 12c to 19c. Eastern Europe was the principal buyers of the day, with support from the Continent. Japai on better style halfbreds. am also from local mills. The offering of 28,350 bales wa drawn from Canterbury, Marl borough, Nelson, and the Wes Coast, and included a small selec tion from the Chatham Islands The bulk of the wools were halt

bred and Corriedales. The entry was generally Well grown, but some wools were marred by tenderness and slight dust. LEADING SALES The top price of the day was 40c for three bales of superfine Merino in the bins of Dalgety New Zealand, Ltd. Another three bales of Merino warp in the bins of the New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative Association were passed to the Wool Commission at 40c. Haycock Run Company (Blenheim) received 385 c for 16 bales of Merino and 36|c for another three bales. For five bales, J. R. Todhunter and Sons (Rakaia Gorge) were paid 37c—and they had another seven bales at 35jc. Tyntesfleld station (Blenheim) received 37Jc for 19 bales.

Also for Merino wool D. McK. Dickson (Walpara) received 361 c for three bales, and the same money went to I. G. Hamilton (Awatere) for six bales of Merino wether wool. The latter also received 35c for six bales. Summerlands Company’ (Blenheim) received 351 c for 12 bales, and sales at 351 c were made by J. King (Kaikoura) for six bales of hogget wool, and by the estate James Stevenson (Flaxton) for five bales of warp. Corriedale wool brought to 36c for six bales from D. W. and R. D. Ensor (Cheviot). The same vendors also had six bales at 351 c, and seven at 34c. R. J. Martin (Ashburton) had a sale of six bales at 35SC and seven bales at 34c. For 11 bales of ewe wool, K. R Shipley (Greendale) was paid 35c. T. J. Watson (Klrwee) recevled 34Jc for six bales.

P. P. L. Dillon (Blenheim) sold five bales of ewe wool at 34Jc. The same vendor received 341 c for nine bales of hogget, which price also went to C. P. Wright (Ashburton) for four bales of ewe wool, to K. W. Busch (Pendarves) for four bales of ewe wool, the estate of C. K. Heddell (Ashburton) for 12 bales of combing, and Tyntesfleld station for four bales of hogget wool. HALFBRED PRICES Millikens Estate (Darfield) received 35c for 10 bales of halfbred ewe wool. This price was also paid for two lots of bln wool in the catalogue of Pyne, Gould, Guinness Ltd. W. and IL Russell (Oxford) realised 34ic for 10 bales of halfbred wool, and 33c for seven bales. Sales at 34c were made by the estate T. S. Ferguson (Culverden) for 12 blaes of ewe wool, and by M. R. Hurst (Ashburton) for seven bales. W. L. Nell (Rakaia Gorge) had five bales at 333 c and nine bales at 335 c. The latter price was also received by O. J. Osborne (Irwell) for seven bales of hogget. and S. H. Curd (Ashburton) for 22 bales.

. ueu lAsnounoni ror iz Dales oi i combing, and Tyntesfleld station for four bales of hogget wool. I HALFBRED PRICES Millikens Estate (Darfield) re- : ceived 35c for 10 bales of half- . bred ewe wool. This price was also paid for two lots of bln wool in the catalogue of Pyne, Gould, Guinness Ltd. W. and IL Russell (Oxford) realised 34ic for 10 bales of halfbred wool, and 33c for seven bales. Sales at 34c were made by the estate T. S. Ferguson (Culverden) for 12 blaes of ewe wool, and by M. R. Hurst (Ashburton) for seven bales. W. L. Nell (Rakaia Gorge) had five bales at 333 c and nine 1 bales at 335 c. The latter price was also received by O. J. Osborne (Irwell) for seven bales ’ of hogget, and S. H. Curd (Ash- ' burton) for 22 bales. One of the best sales of threequarterbred wools was made I. A. Murdoch (Ashburton) at 30lc i for 20 bales. Quarterbred wool realised to 331 c for seven bales in the bins of the NMA Company of New Zealand, Ltd. The best money for crossbred wool was 315 c received by the NMA Company for two bales of hogget wool, and by Pyne, Gould, Guinness Ltd for three bales of hogget WOOL K. J. and H. W. Dalglish (Le Bons Bay) received 30}c for six bales of hogget wool, and 29c for four bales of ewe wool. R. Edmondson (Nelson) sold five bales of hogget at 295 c. Sales at 291 c were made by Waianlwa Farm, Ltd • (Ashburton), for six bales of hog- , get, and by B. F. Morrow, Ltd ' (Montalto), for five bales of ewe wool D. J. Upritchard (Cheviot) - also sold six bales of crossbred , wool at 29c. The Lands and Survey Department (Lake Arthur) received 285 e for six bales of hogget wool. Second-shear crossbred wool made to 265 c for five bales In the bins of the NMA Company and for four bales in the blns of Pyne, Gould, Guinness Ltd. M. Mcßride (Whataroa) reclved 26c for 13 bales. PERENDALE WOOL Perendale wool brought to ' 313 c for five bales of hogget wool from K. Parkinson and Sons (Kaituna). R. Williams (Fox Glacier) had four bales of hogget wool at 283 c, and G. W. Wright (Glentunnel) had a sale at 281 c. Three-quarterbred lambs’ wool made to 284 c for four bales from the estate W. E. Rankin (Ashburton). Brabourne Farm, Ltd (Scargill), realised 271 c for four bales of crossbred lambs’ wool. Halfbred lambs’ wool sold for 27jc for four bales from K. W. Lissaman and Son (Seddon). Down-cross wool in the bins of the NMA Company realised 351 c for three bales, and the New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative Association had three bales of Down-cross at 343 c. Details of catalogues in order of sale were:— NMA Company of N.Z. Ltd 5,876 Pyne, Gould, Guinness Ltd 7354 : Dalgety N.Z., Ltd 9,650 N.Z. Farmers’ Co-operative ’ Association .. 5,277 Total 28,357