THE WOOL MARKET.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5369, 30 April 1879, Page 2

THE WOOL MARKET.

• (From "Goldsbrough's Monthly Circular.") "WflOL. — The quantity coming forward during tie month has been limited, and confined onie'fly " to odd lots, remnants of clips, arid small parcels of scoured. The prices obtained for these have been about equal to last month's rates, inferior to' good greasy ranging from 5d to lOd, and average scoured up to 15d per lb. ; greasy cross-breds have ranged from 6d id 8d f per.lb. '■ The parcels offered have gene-, rally, as is usual with late shorn clips, been in inferior to ordinary condition. In. all, 1396 bales have been sold.

Wo learn by cablegram that the February ( , and March series of sales in London closed on the 26th ult., and that out of the 262,000 bales catalogued, 180,000 bales were taken for ';'/ export, and 20,000 were held over for next , aeries. Our own cablegram is to the effect • tiiat prices, ruled at 20 per cent, under last year's February rates, and tbat the closing '..' prices were 5 per cent, to 7£ per cent, below < those, at. the opening— the principal decline .' M being in lambs', superior descriptions, and , . cross-breds. The result has been a disap- , pointment to shippers from the colonial markets, and an improvement is anxiously looked for. The increasing cheapness of money should have a favorable effect, and it is possible that the market may have a firmer tone at the May sales, though we have no in- ,'■ dications of it, the woollen trade in England, and, indeed, nearly all the staple industries, ;. ' being at present in a state of extreme dopres- ; sion. The large proportion of wool purchased , for the continent is an encouraging indication „ , of .manufacturing activity in France and Grer.^many. America, too, is showing signs of a : , recovery ; and we are not without hope that, ■ . as. the year advances, a more sound state of .. commerce generally may be established. - . . Our advices from the inland districts of this , colony • are not bo encouraging as we could . . wish, as the season continues dry, and rain is

■ much needed. Water is becoming scarce in ,i iplaces, but the sheep continue in good con- ,- dition j and as there are indications of a : change in the weather, we hope soon to have ; more favorable news to report. During the . : past ten days there have been partial rains, < ,which,< have been beneficial; but more is / needed. The season in the Murrumbidgee, . Lachlan, and Upper Darling districts, and ■„ over a large area of New South Wales, continues very, favorable, feed and water being abundant, and stock in excellent order, with , every prospect of an unusually good clip of • wool. : ; . ; s. d. 8. d. (Jreasy— lnferior 0 5 to 0 0 : " ;/ •''.'■'. Ordinary io average .. .. 07„ 0 9 ' i "> Good to snperior 010 „ 1 0 ...iFleeoe, washed— lnferior 10,,12 • Ordinary to average ... . . 1 2 „ 1 4 '' .' Average to good 1 4 „ 1 7 Superior 1 8 „ 2 0 • Scoured— inferior 1 0 „ 1 2 Ordinary 1 2 „ 1 4 Middling to good 1 4,, 1 C Superior 1 7 „ 1 9