OPOSSUM SKINS SALES

Hokitika Guardian, 28 August 1926, Page 4

OPOSSUM SKINS SALES

I lie second sale ot the season was held at Dunedin on August 13th., when about. 21,000 skins were offered by the six selling brokers. Of this total our catalogue comprised 9000 skins, representative of all parts of the North and South Islands. Tho quality of our skins was generally quite as good as at tho first sale. Owing to very adverse report received from London, it was expected that prices would show a eonsidorablio decline, ehiell.v due to the weakening effect on the market caused by tile very large quantity of skins being sold at sales in Australia where all States are now open for trapping. Wo were fortunate in liming first sale and the fact that we were ablo to offer large lots of accurately graded skins resulted in our prices being considerably better than those realised at later sales. On our catalogue wo quoto the market as follows :

Best blacks unchanged, other blacks Is to Is (5d per skin lower, browns 6d o 2s lower, greys Is to 2s* -lower, best blues unchanged to Is lower, other Blues 2s to 3s lower, rods Is to 2s lower. Small blacks and greys were difficult of sale. Wo obtained top prices again for blues, vfz: 14s lid and blacks 10s sd. Wo again offered a (largo quantity oil skins from Wanganui district. Generally speaking, theso were not quite so good in colour as those offered at one first sale, hut as they were almost without exception well stretched they brought good prices and resists to trappers should he very satisfactory. Besides a fair proportion of Otago and Southland skins, our catalogue contained a largo number of

consignments from North Canterbury and the West Coast. For some years nov wo have consistently offered the hulk of the skins from these districts which come fo auction and wo think results to trappers, on the difficult market which obtained yesterday, should prove tho wisdom of their con-

signing to our sales. On our cataloguo consignments from Gatlins district averaged from 9s to 13s, Southland 8s fid to 10s 9d, Tnpanui 8s 3d to 10s 9d, North Canterbury Gs 6d to 9s, South Canterbury 6s 6d to 8s 9d. West Coast 5s to Bs, Wanganui 7s 6d to IDs, Taranaki 5s 9d to 7s Od, and from Nelson 6s to 10s. Tht following is the range of prices from seconds up for average consignments:—Blues 8s to 14s lid; greys 6s 3d to 11s 3d; reds 3s 5d to 8s; blacks 4s to 10s sd: browns 3s 6d to 6s 8(1; (dates 4s 2d to Gs : small blues 3.s‘ in -Is 3d; small blacks 3s to 5s 6d.