THE WOOL SALE.

Evening Star, Issue 21291, 21 December 1932, Page 10

THE WOOL SALE.

The returns from the first Dunedin wool sale of the season were slightly better than was expected from Christchurch and Timaru results. Half-breds were a shade dearer, it being noticeable that one or two buyers, who had been able to buy quite freely at their limits in Christchurch, did not do so nearly so easily yesterday. Fine cross-breds mid three-quarter-breds brought certainly Id per ib better than in Christchurch, while coarser cross-breds were very much on- a par. , A fair quantity of these varieties consisted of last year’s wool, and- this year’s is distinctly better in condition. The Otago clip still to come should be of very attractive quality, promising that if there is any life in the market growers of this province will get the full benefit of it. Even_ so, average prices which were obtained yesterday can only bo set down as distinctly unpayable, and, with land values as they are, there seems no chance of getting costs of production down to a point which would cause them to yield a profitable margin. It is evident that it depends on international adjustments, restoring confidence abroad, to make prices much better than they now stand. All the talk, such as is being heard in Australia, of stabilising prices from this end by fixing minimum rates for sale is to no purpose; the -effect of such attempts could only he that of limiting trade, especially in present conditions. On the whole, wo have more to hope for from our own economies than from any such devices. European buyers were very active yesterday, as they usually arc at Dunedin sales, whore a great proportion of wool that suits the Continent is accustomed to he offered. It would appear that the wool trade of the world is now becoming more spread than it used to be; Bradford seems to be not so much a dominating factor as it has been, though it is still the most important factor. Yesterday the Bradford buyers were following a policy of selections. Trices were very much the same as at the first Dunedin sale last year, the top price being identical, and identical also with that obtained at Auckland. The sale will'bring much more to Otago, however, than its predecessor of a year ago, because about 10,000 more bales were offered. A most satisfactory feature was that the demand was steady from start to finish. It was one of the fastest sales that have ever been hold here, sales being made at the rate of 600 lots and over an hour, which is specially fast for the wide variety of wool that was shown. Not more than probably 10 per cent, was passed, of which a good proportion will havo been sold after the auction. Nothing seems to be gained by the holding over of clips. The best thing that growers can do for themselves and for the country,' notwithstanding the poor prices, is to sell, and 1 not freeze the little money-that might otherwise be available for both. The best that can be said of the wool sale is that it might have been worse, and wool prospects might be worse, than they can now bo seen. The low prices are particularly unfortunate when butter is low and moat not much in demand. The meetings of the Cabinet that arc being held in Wellington to consider farmers’ difficulties will not lack precise knowledge of what they are.

There will ho no publication of the ‘ Evening Star ’ on Monday next (December 26).

Mr A. S. Cross, managing director of Fiji Airways, a subsidiary of Guinea Airways, who passed through Auckland on the Monterey, stated that there was cvei-y indication that air passenger services would soon be established in Fiji. The Fijian Government had agreed to subsidise the service to the extent of £1,500 a year for three years, and the company would commence operations with three now two-passenger planes and a Spartan plane, which would be taken over from Captain Fenton, of Suva. When the company had gained a full knowledge of the conditions in Fiji it was hoped to add a Genairco aircraft to the company’s fleet. At the present time a 60ft speed launch was being built for the company at Sydney to be used in conjunction with the planes. Consequent on the removal of the Otago Electric Power Board’s staff and testing room to Milton, the need has arisen for the establishment of a depot or branch for the convenience of the northern areas and for the carrying out of minor repairs and meter testing. Mr I). Boyd, at yesterday’s meeting of the board, pointed out the saving of time and transport and the greater continuity of service which would result from the establishment of such a branch, and moved that a committee consisting of the two northern members. Messrs G. R. Smith and William Lee, and himself should investigate the matter and report to the next meeting of the board.

The postal authorities advise that the Waikouaiti left Sydney on Monday for Bluff with nine bags of mail and one parcel receptacle for Dunedin. The mail is due at the local office on Saturday evening. Keen competition existed for the Australian oranges brought by the Marama when they wore offered at the Auckland markets, prices ranging from 12s to 14s a case. A week ago values were as low as from 8s to 9s 6d. For Australian cherries 10s 4d to 13s 6d a case was paid, compared with 8s to 10s 6d a week ago. Commenting on the embargo on Australian fruit, Mr Harvey Turner, the managing director of Turners and Growers Ltd., said that the supply of oranges should be sufficient for the Christmas and New Year trade, but it was inevitable that prices would rise. He hoped a . settlement would be reached, as it would be very serious if the public could not he supplied with oranges. The Bledisloe Medal for 1932, presented by the Governor-General to the ex-student of Lincoln College who is considered to have rendered the greatest service to the agricultural community, has been awarded this year to George Rennie, of Taupiri, Waikato. In 1916 Rennie, who had been the first agricultural instructor employed by the Canterbury Education Board, and later was a member of the Board of Governors of Lincoln College and Canterbury College, went to Taupiri in 1916, taking up a block of 500 acres. Ho reduced it from a rough state to fine pasture. He was the pioneer in the Waikato of intensive winter feeding, and his use of fertilisers was niore or less a new departure. He also achieved marked success in swamp reclamation. Last year his return from 215 cows averaged 300.81 b per cow. ,

. A statutory meeting of the City Council will be held at 11, o’clock on. Saturday morning to determine whether or not the vacancy caused by Mr H. L. Tapley’s death will be filled.

Advice lias been received by the local office of the Vacuum Oil Company that the passenger on the trans-Tasman flight of the Southern Cross will be Mr S. E. Neilson. of New Plymouth, secretary of the New Zealand Aero Club. The members of the official party are Sir Charles Kihgsford Smith, Mr W. Kingsford Smith (business manager), Mr P. G. Taylor (assistant pilot)', Mr J. T. Pethybridge (engineer), Mr J. Stannage (wireless operator), and Mr A. : Affleck (air-crafts-man). It is the present intention of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith to leave Sydney on January, 14, but ho may leave on January 12 if conditions are favourable. A Press Association telegram from Wellington states that Mr Wilfrid Kingsford Smith, who will handle all the arrangements in connection with his brother’s tour of the dominion, arrived by the Zealandia yesterday. Before returning to Australia for the flight lie will inspect suitable landing grounds for the Southern Cross and arrange the dates of the various towns.

In the membership campaign contest between the Dunedin and the Christchurch Returned Soldiers’ Associations the figures at December 15 were Christchurch, 1970; Dunedin, 1822. The local position is very satisfactory, for the present total is only thirty-nine short of the financial membership at March 31 last, and it is confidently anticipated that by the end of the current financial year at March 31 next the .membership will be not far short of 2,000.

Mr James ■ Pickard, of Port Chalmers, . has discovered an interesting relic of early day activities. It is a ring ' bolt, to 'which the wooden floating dock was secured after it was launched.and while it was being finished in readiness for removal to its permanent site. The dock, which served its purpose for the docking of ships for a number of years, is said to have had the distinction of being the first floating dock in the Southern Hemisphere. Prior to the floating dock overseas ships were careened in the Lower Harbour for repairs, smaller craft being accommodated on a haul-up slipway. The floating dock was followed by the present stone graving dock and the. more recent concrete dry dock.

The comet reported from Adelaide was seen last night by Mr A. W. Burrell, of Stratford. Its position at 9 p.m. (summer time) was right ascension 23 hours 12J minutes, south declination 26deg 37 minutes.—Stratford Press Association.

Two valuable pictures have just arrived from England for the Dunedin Public Art Gallery. One is an oil painting by R. Russell Macnee, entitled ‘ A Highland River.’ The subject is beautifully treated in quiet and restful tones and is sure to give visitors pleasure. The other, a watercolour painting in 188 C, is of historical interest. the subject being St. Paul’s Cathedral from Ludgatc Hill, by Charles .1. Watson. With the exception of Christinas Day (Monday. December 26) when the gallery will be closed all day. and New Year’s Day (January 2) when Sunday hours will bo observed, the gallery will be open to visitors throughout the holidays. Men upon whom heavy responsibility rests in the preparations for the brass bands’ festival at Dunedin in February are the conductors. They are all very busy just now and will bo busy until the judges speak. The Dunedin conductors arc .Mr J. Dixon, St. Kilda; Mr T. •). Kirk-Burnnand, Kaikorai; Mr H. F. Davie, Artillery; Air C. T. Morgan, Tramway; Mr Claude Davie, West Harbour; Air F. Clarkson, Green Island; Air G. AFDowell, Port Chalmers; Air D. Whenan, St. Joseph’s. The Alosgiel conductor is Air 11. jWhite.

There was a clean sheet at the Police Court this morning. Among the passengers who arrived at Wellington by the Zealandia yesterday from Sydney was Mr 'J. AnnandSmith, who said he had made a study of the conditions in Australia. _ His view was that Australia was definitely twelve months ahead of Hew Zealand. In . reply to a telegraphed query as to whether the Government proposed to re-enact last year’s legislation authorising the remission or postponement of the 10 per cent, penalty on rates, the mayor (Mr R. S. Black) has received from the Prime Minister a wire stating that it is not proposed to re-enact the legislation. Good news for farmers who exploit methods of irrigation is contained in a circular which has been sent out by the Public Works district engineer (MiBall) to all local stock and station agents. The circular, which infers that the Government has agreed to take part in an income sharing scheme, states that a difficulty has arisen in the cases of settlers who have made application to firms for advances to enable them to purchase irrigation water and whose financial position is such that firms do not feel justified in making any further advances. To meet this difficulty the engineer has obtained the approval of the Minister of Public Works for the department to enter into the Chamber of Commerce profit sharing scheme, which has now been adopted by many stock firms and other interested parlies for the division of any surplus revenue. The advantages of this system were pointed out in”one of our leading articles a few weeks ago, and it may well be said that much heart burning would have been avoided if it had been adopted a good deal sooner. For a few days at least two warships will be in port at the same time. The Laburnum, which is duo on January 30, will remain till February 13, while the. Veronica will be here between February 8 and 16. The Monterey and the Marama, which arrived at Auckland from Sydney yesterday, brought over 400 tourists to New Zealand to spend the holiday season. The liner Rangitata, which is due at Auckland to-day, is also bringing a number of tourists. Myrtle Jones, aged twenty-seven, convicted last year and ordered to come up for sentence within three years if called ; upon, appeared in the court today on charges of shoplifting, and was sent to gaol for a month.—Wellington Press Association. Save your eyes. _ Be wise ami consult W. V. Stunner (optician, 2 Octagon), thus conserving good vision for old age.—| Advt.] W. Sfcrachan for Ladies’ Wristlet Watches, COs; fifteen jewelled lever movement, guaranteed. Ideal Christmas gift.—l 97 George street.—[Advt ] There will be a fancy dress dance at the Dunedin South Town Hall on Thursday night. Good floor, good band. Four hours’ enjoyment promised. Supper,