Gold walks Otago hills

Press, 27 November 1982, Page 5

Gold walks Otago hills

PA Dunedin The hills of Central Otago still have gold — on - the backs of Merino sheep. It takes the form of a super-fine 17.5 to 18 micron (76/80s) hogget fleece, and is best produced on the boundaries of the Alexandra Basin. The producer of the wool that, broke records at the latest Dunedin sale, Mr Jock Kane, of Little Valley, said, “It has to be country that suits the sheep and sheep that suit the country.” Mr Kane received 1190 c a kilogram for a bale of Merino hogget wool. Mr Jim Gillies, buyer for an Italian cloth-maker, G. Modiano, was certainly willing to go to any length to buy the cream of the clip from

Mr Kane and C. W. G. Sullivan’s ' Little Valley station,’ and that of their neighbour, A. C. Sanders and Son, of Matangi station.Mr Gillies said the wool was equal to the world’s best. It would be sent to Italy and spun into the finest quality cloth. Normally this would be used to make suits for millionaires, but on this occasion, the Modiano company had decided to give lengths of the cloth to clients; Mr Gillies said Otago grew the world's finest fleece and Dunedin should be the only centre to sell fine wools. Mr John Glendining, of Dunedin, who classed the wool at Little Valley, said it took years of breeding to produce the perfect fleece,

and of the Little Valley flock only one fleece in 60 would' qualify for the elite bale. Mr Kane said he was overwhelmed at the record price, but he said it was for just one bale. It was the 600 c plus realised for the larger lines of his own clip, and his neighbours’, that was really important. The area round Little Valley was ideal country for fine Merino sheep. Shift them to a wetter environment and the wool quality would deteriorate. The whole district produced great wool, Mr Kane said. The names of his neighbours ■usually topped the Dunedin fine-wool sales.