Second Wool Sale.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XLIII, Issue 2337, 27 January 1913, Page 5

Second Wool Sale.

A RECORD CATALOG I ’ E. SI’UiITHI) COMPETITION. PRICES WELL MAINTAINED. The second of (he 11)12-13 series of wool sales in Dunedin was held on Wednesday in the Art Gallery Hall, when the seven firms conducting (he auction submitted 27,8(37 biles —a record for the Dominion, approached most nearly by Christchurch i27,01J(3) and Napier (2(3,731). Another record was made in the number of bales offered by Wright Stcphcn.-on, and Co. —-8,27‘d, the nearest approach to which was the offering of 7,733 bales by one firm at Christchurch recently.

The hall was packed when Mr Bow ler began the sale for Donald Reid and Co., (he fullness of (he attendance being partly attributable no doubt to the decline in prices at some of the recent sales, and the consequent uncertainty of vendors. This was early proved, groundless. Bidding was spirited from (be very beginning, and prices 'acre linn, practically at those ruling in December, with the exception of pieces of wool suitable for America. The Yorkshire buyers took the bulk of the crossbred clips. As a whole, the wool was in very fair condition, though some of the clips were deteriorated in value by the presence of seed. And this fact, coupled with the further fact that a number of the best lots were tender, accounted lor the inactivity of American buyers; it being essential for the American trade that the wool shall be free from seed, and strong in the fibre. Again, a good many of the clips bore evidence that at some time the sheep bad been short of feed, the. staple being shorter, and less wed I -groomed than usual. Nevertheless, (he condition of tlie wool in bulk was good. Merinos were decidedly (inner than at the December sales —possibly by a j 1 to Ad (inner, and it is thought I hat the whole sale disclosed a rise in values over that in Invercargill to a like extent. The best lots in the (irst auction (Donald Ivcid’s) was the clip of merino’s and halfbred’s from Rockland's estate, at the lower end of Rock and Lilian which evoked very animated competition from the local and French buyers, the former being probably the stronger bidders. But, throughout the sale the Continental buyers hotly challenged the local mill representatives for possession ol the finer wools. The lleeec wool of the Rocklands has not been sold hero before (at any rate for many years), being shipped Home: but the satisfactory values obtained in New Zealand have brought many station clips into the local auctions latterly,'and it is even hinted that prices have been obtained in excess of last year's London prices. The .Roeklands clip secured the high price of 1 td per lb for 10 bales of first combings quarterbred. Linder (lie same brand 27 bales of first combings half-bred brought Dipl, and :5I bales of first combings merino 12.'.d.

Tiiken as a whole (lie wool was not heavier in grease than usual, as it proved in the recent Christchurch sile. ihe bulk of the Otago Central clips were indeed very light, very dry, and generally sound.

Speaking generally, it may ho repealeel that (ho apprehensions ot (hose who regard as inevitable a lower range of values (in view of (tie huge (pia 11 1 iI iex marketed in December, and the easier feeling that has been in evidence at other centres) were pleasantly relieved. Indeed. it may be said without fear of eon tradietion that in the ease of deep-grown eross-hreds, throe-quarler-hreds of tin* Romney (Marsh and Border Leicester types (which wools represented a large percentage of the offerings), prices were actually from hi to Id dearer than those of the December sales. (Nor will it be disputed that, taking into consideration the difference in condition, the half-hred wools, and even the merino wools, maintained their positions, (hough in respect of the latter types there was eousiderahie irregularity, prohaldy due to the fief that. I lie loea 1 mills were not operating as kcen'y as list month Cum pel i t ion for pieees (ha 1 f-hn d. ero-s----bred, or merino > was animat'd, but the dem Mid for medium an ! low-grade phci s and loi-ks was not very great, and prices were down a hull Ad ]er lhas comp-.red wilii last moil !i. It mml le .ad hd, in on pi.’na I ion, that tins dr p was due to (lie presi nee of hiddi-hi-Idles rither than to a fall in the market. The A imricau representatives secured the hesl oi (he crossbreds, the local woollen manufacturers and (lie buyers from Derm my an! If ranee look the pick ot the ha It-bred s and merinos, while the hulk of the ordinary cross hreds went to the Bradford men, some of whom were also Inlying wool suitable for America tor reeasmg.

Instituting a eompansm with the recent Christchurch sale, it miy he said that prices generally were about on a par. Continental wools (dry, stained wools) were keenly sought, and at from jdto Ad better than in Christchurch. A large number ol the small clips were very badly classed, no care having been taken to make the descriptions evenly, with the result that the competition ol local mills lor these grades was practically extinguished. Tliis is a neglect that makes a very great dilierence to the prices realised at auction, and farmers would he well advised to take more care in getting up (heir clips. The auctioneers’ catalogues show an increase ol (’>,•) ID hales over the total offerings at last year’s .January sales. The Otago Farmers’ Cooperative Association’s top price was 12;, M, realised for 23 hales half-bred grown by Ewing Bros., Wanaka ; other good prices realised being 12A I lor 12 hales half bred ewe and w ether, and 12 | I lir II hales half-bred ewe and hogget. Other local clips realised the following prices: bred Il.i-L Ewing Bros. Wanaka, halfbred 12j‘-d ; lulfbrel pieces Fiji; hallbred bellies 9Ad. C, Mibdiell. lialfbred hogget 12Ad ; lialfbred ilAd. Mansoii and I billow ay, hall bred wether 12d ; lialfbred wether 11(1; halthred 1 1 Ad. Ritchie Bros, lialfbred wether 11,; t. Seaife Bros., pieces Wjd. J. Faulks. Makarora, pieees lit I. R. K. Smith, Malvern Downs, necks halihred ewe I(>A 1.

Syi'u \y, -I in' it ,y -•>. At the wool sales prices wore very (inn fur medium hih.i! that was good in grease. Scoured wool was iu special demand, and competition was keen. Generally prices were the highest of the season tor till descriptions. Greasy sold up to Ud and scoured to Is