LONDON WOOL SALES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1124, 11 May 1911, Page 2

LONDON WOOL SALES.

THE IMPROVEMENT WELL MAINTAINED. (From Our Special Correspondent.) London, March 31. The past week has again been characterised by an excellent inquiry, and the strips are being continued under moit favourable conditions. There certainly is (i good ileal ovr-r which to rejoice, and nothing lo give ri>o to any feelings of do-pres-icn. Everything is selling out of hand remarkably well, and the improvement hitherto noticed remains strongly in evidence. Alter nil, it is rrmarkajjlo how Iho wool is moving, and, considering this is the third week of the series, tho attendance is well inninhincdj while the catalogues contain well day a gooil solociion of Ilio raw material. It certainly is wonderful how the buying power is using sustained, but everybody recognises that it would l>e a calamity if there was nny set back in prices or even a check in the. demand. The whole industry seemfl to realise the importance of tho situation, mid both the Continent and the Homo H-4 i' S vl K° vm,fl .V maintaining a buying attitude. The only disappointing factor in connection with the, current scries ia (ho exceedingly poor demand on American account; in fact, for onco (ho United islates element is almost entirely absent, ami their purchases this series"will bo sensibly less than in January. Wo certainly thought that this series they would bi! in the market for a liberal quantity of wool, but the Tooeivt.. liquidation of dearly-bought stocks in tho early part of 19111, shows distinctly the depressed condition of the textile industry across the Atlantic. No doubt a few have fraught knowing .Hint the wools most suitable for their requirements will not bo available again until nest voar. Wo certainly think that there will have to be a settlement of tho present ngitation over Schedule. K before tho American market shows signs of expansion. Everything from that quarter is distinctly disappointing, but on Home and Continental account there is much to encourage aud inspire hope for the future. . MERINOS SELLING REMARKABLY WELL, The selection this week of merinos has ; hardly been of that high .standard 'that we saw during the second week, the catalogues containing moro miscellaneous wools. ' SI ill, • for all (hat, there is an undiminished demand for aiiything of decent combing length, and . instead of thero being a weakening ' 'as many expected, tho very opposite has been seen. We don't say that prices , havo advanced any further, but things are no cheaper, and without doubt thero is still a freedom about the movement of raw material which, to say the least, is commendable. The Homo trade is yet taking the lion's share, though .France •' and Germany are giving excellent I>ort. Fine-haired descriptions are making the most money, and selling the best, while tho shalty descriptions from West Australia are still being devoured by tho Bradford contingent. After all this State is turning out wools on, a larger scale than ever, and most of the clips are well-grown, sound and shafty, though there is room for improvement in tlic get-up of many of them. Scoured merinos are faring distinctly better than last series, and good combing wools must be called a penny dearer. We cannot ice shabby carbonising parcels being qiiotably higher than last series, but tho demand for scoured wools in general has certainly improved. Taking things altogether merinos must be described ns more healthy, and occupying an excellent position.

CKOSSBREDS SELLING WELL. Every day is swing catalogued a large Quantity of crossbreds, and thrso are certainly felling freely. America is giving a litllo support for the lightest conditioned parcels, but their takings arc a inoro bagatelle. Bradford topirinkers are Riving the most support, and prices are distinctly firm.on last week's basis. Fine hali'breds are easily making a full penny more than last scries, medium forts are really not. quotably dearer than they were in January, though coarse descriptions .must be called about 5 per cent up. With tho sales closing next Saturday there is every prospect of about 30,000 bales being carried forward to the May sales, but that need alarm nobody. What certainly is tho most satisfactory item of tho whole series is the free way crossbreds have moved. Business is undoubtedly sound, otherwise users would never have ■absorbed the big quantities which have been daily catalogued. Slipo crossbreds have also sold uncommonly well, and. these 100 muit bo called about id. more than in March. Eeally speaking the free way crossbreds have sold is tho surprise of the entire series, and it is now certain (hat there is going to bo a firm finish. Below wo show what leading crossbred, clips mode Inst sales, and again (his series, thus helping the reader to form fonie reliable opinion as to the actual standing of this class of staple-.— HOKOPEKA. Last' This pories. series. Description. d. d. Grtaso fin? halfbTcd combing 13 U\ Cfroas-e halfbred combing 12 Greafc line cros«bml combing 10]j 10J Grease crossbred combing !) 10 Greas? three-quarter-bred combing 9 in Grease crossbred nieces 0 !t.V Greaso crossbred bellies 8 T& BEE or FIT. Grease AA fine crossbred 11l 12 Grease A fine crossbred U\- Hi Grease 13 crossbred 10\ H Grease E crossbred Hit 9J Grease C crossbred !H Si firoasu D crossbred .11 9 Greaso first crossbred pieces !). fl Grease second crossbred pieces T.\ 7 Grease first crossbred lambs 1(11 12 Grsasc second crossbred lambs OJ 10 D —). Grease A /halfbred combing UJ 14$ Grease B -half-bred combing 101 12 Grease A three-quarter-bred combing 10 10$ Greaso B three-quarter-bred combing !H 9$ Grenss C crof-sbred combing 8 ' fij Grease A Lincoln combing fl 0 tireasa B Lincoln combing SJ Bjf Greaso first crossbred pieces 7J Sj • CONDITIONS IN BRADFORD. There certainly is some improvement at this centre, and although there is per' Imps not that buoyancy wiiich one sees in. Coleman .Street, still, on tho whole, the market is better. The way things havo gone in London has certainly done a great deal to inspire hope in the future, and more business h;is been doing in, wool, tops, and yarns. The outstandingfeature of the week has been tho naming of higher prices for tops, and although spinners are not readily acceding to what is being asked, still topmakcrs are making n httlo more money. Most users are well off for the next three months, and on that account aro taking little notice of any lower offers which they are receiving. Coleman Street to-day warrants no man in accepting loss than 2Cld. for an average til's top, but this price cannot yet be made lrecly. Some aro asking i<l. more, while several parties are altogether out of the market, due ns \yt> havo already said to their being largely sold forward. There is a fair amount ot new business doing, and everything is most healthy. There scorns to be a disposition here to hardly go at the rale of London, due, no doubt, to the large direct arrivals which aro pouring into this district. One very vttiActory leahire is the free way the raw material is moving towards the manufacturing end of the trade. Many firms are short of wool sorters, which is a most healthy sign. Commission woolcombers aro being hard pushed, and although running day "ml night, vet they ore unable to fullv meet (ill the vinhes of their customers. So long as machinery can bo kept going at the maximum, there is little fear over tho future. Merinos undoubtedly occupy a unique position, for fashions still favour line, soft fabrics. Crossbreds are also wiling hotter than they did. Fine dualities arc in good demand, and more monev can be made. _ Many inquiries have 'come to hand during the past week from the Continent for carded tups, and although tho offers made are perhaps less than many would like to see, still there'is trade to lie- done, and lopmakcvs here are confident that many of theso will nmluro into actual orders. Strong erossbrc-ds nro soiling somewhat, better, but it has to bo a very good 'lO's prepared top to command "more than lUld. Some very nice solos of English wool havo taken place during the week. Alletroni wethers are very 'scarce, aud will be till clip timo.