WOOL SALE

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 122, 20 November 1922, Page 7

WOOL SALE

AMERICA SETS THE PAGE

LOCAL MILLS KEEN BUYERS

DEMAND FOE CROSSBREDS.

The first wool sale, the second in the) Dominion, of the 1922-23 season, Was , opened promptly at 9 o'clock this mom- ' ing in the Town Hall. There was a full' bunch of buyers; in fact, a larger at- • tendance than has been noticeable for ■ the past two or three years. Every section of the trade was well represented— 1' Bradford, the Continent, America,, local., mills, and wool scourers and merchants. The following is the corrected offering, and the order of sale:— . Bales. Abraham and Williams ...........; 1.013 N.Z. Loan and Mercantile "Go. ..< 559 Levin and Co. .;...; 2,685 Murray, Roberts, and Co. {associ- ■ ' ated With Johnston and^ Go.) 1,385 Dalgety and Co 2,458 Wright, Stephenson, and do. ... 331 N.Z. Farmers' Co-op. Dis. Co. ... 1,665 Wairarapa Farmers „. 979 Total 11,075 In past years the sales have generally been held in the Concert Chamber—6n this occasion they wore conducted in the main hall, and the advantages of the change were great, conducingxto the quicker dispatch of business and.greater audibility. More room was also provid-. Ed for the interested pubk'c, generallyfarmers, who like to know how prices are; going, and themselves to -feel the spirit of the market. Buyers were undoubtedly keen, and bidding* wa3 decidedly briak, but there was nothing 1 spectacular about the proceedings. Buyers were plainly; present to do business. As compared' with the prices ruling at the sales held in Wellington on 25th May last, when excellent prices were obtained for everything of,, an attractive character offered, prices, were.' well up. They were also above the latest London parity.. New Zealand manufacturers pushed overseas buyers very hard for any fine quality wools, merinos and i the like, especially' for halfbreds and the choicest of the, pieces. Southdown wool made 19|d to ZOd, and some medium halfbred 19^d. Best qualities of iirie crossbred suitable for the American trade made up to 15^d for hogget, and fleece quality 13|d, VHd, and 14£ d. Thoseprices were for very nice, bright Romhey. clips, 46's-48's. Medium 44's-46's realised, 12^d, 123 d, and even 15|d was paid for'the best types; and B^d to lOidfor average, and- 6d to 6|d for inferior! Coarse crossbreds, 4O's-44's, were taken for Bradford and the Continent, selling at from 9d for the very best, and the .■ bulk ranging from 7d to o£d. Low crossbred (Lincolns) made up to°B|d, but the majority of lots of this description, 36'8-40's, were sold for 6^d to 7^d. Hogget wool was exceedingly well competed for. All sections of tho trade werß in. want of these, particularly the American section. They were Id pel'a pound up on fleece lines, as compared* with the May range of values. Lambs offered were not of good qual-,■.' ity, most of them being seedy, arid of last season's shearing. They realised 9d to lOd. Pieces and bellied sold extremely well, and that at high prices. For half-bred lines, of which there wefe but very few lots, making up to as high as 9gd, and good crossbreds pieces ' . brought spd to 7d. At'the time of writing the official aver- ■ age of prices was not made-up, the• sale proceeding, with some very import-' ant lines- to be disposed of. But it; maybe said that as compared with'lasb Wellington May sale, a very good sale, that halfbred wools are up 2d per lb;.' Southdown (of which, there was not ■"* great quantity up 2£, fine crossbreds, - 46's-4S"s, up 2jd to 3d; medium crossr breds, 44's-46's, up 2d to 3d; coarse ' crossbreds, _36's40's, id to id. It has to be repeated that the May 'values were exceptional. Passing in was rare, and it is approximately correct to say that 98 per cent, of the wool will bo sold. Buyers appeared to have rathe*, less rigid limits than has been the case at most recent sales. ■ ■'■■<■

With regard to American buying," a' repreeentative of United States' interests: said there was no need to worry about the duty. The sales this forenoon show-ed-that it made not'^d difference.. America wanted the^wool, and would have it, even at 3d to 4d above Bradford; but the farmer must get up his wool for the U.S. market, if he' wanted the price that was obtainable for clean, bright, well-skirted wools of 44' ii and upwards. All the energy and effort hs put into preparing the wool for America, was to be regarded in^the light of an investment.