COMPETITION KEEN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 100, 28 March 1939, Page 5

COMPETITION KEEN.

AUCKLAND WOOL SALE. FIRST DAY’S VALUES. AUCKLAND, March 27. A record entry of wool for Auckland, 30,185 bales, attracted brisk bidding by Bradford and Continental buyers when the third and final Auckland sale of the present season was opened to-day. Three catalogues, comprising more than 24,000 bales, were offered and the remainder, about 12,000 bales, will be put up lor auction to-morrow. Though quality wools were firm on recent values and the prices paid for better sorts compared favourably with those realised at the second Auckland sale in January, there was a large proportion of lambs’ wool and much of the offering was below the usual standard. As a result, the average price is not expected to be much in excess of 8d a lb, or about £l2 a bale The clearance was about 95 ]>er cent of the offering of 24.500 bales and on this basis the estimated return to the growers from to-day’s sale is about £280,000. The average prices at the Auckland sale in January were 8.56 d a lb, or £l2 15s 6d a bale, resulting in a return of £293.673. The best of the wool offered opened up in the usual third sale condition and made prices that were very firm on those ruling at late sales and from -}d to -jd above those realised at the second Auckland sale in January. Competition was keen, but within most definite limits. Main support came from Bradford and the Continent, both France and Germany l>eing well to the fore, and there was also a certain amount of buying for Japan. The demand from the United States was almost negligible. A DOZEN BIDDERS. A noticeable feature was that the bidding wias confined principally to about a dozen men. Though there was a full bench of buyers, the majority were content to sit and mark their catalogues as the sale progressed, taking no active part in the proceedings. At the same time, with both Bradford and Europe definitely interested, there was no inclination for the sale to flag and bidding, without being spectacular at any stage, was consistently brisk. Crossbred wools were in the heaviest demand, as is usual in Auckland. Most of the medium and coarse wools were knocked down to Bradford or Continental buyers, and a small proportion of coarse crossbred was purchased for the United States carpet-making industry. France dominated the market for tellies and pieces and Germany took a substantial quantity of higher grade crossbred. There was a very small entry of halfbred and fine wools, and the lots offered were not keenly sought. The local mills were not prominent, and with the buyers concentrating on crossbred the prices for finer sorts were not spectacular. Southdown wool was definitely not sought bv the buyers. A fair entry of East Coast wool sold well to keen competition. In one catalogue at least it topped the market for crossbreds, averaging about 9}d a lb. Tliis wool was i.n good condition. being rather lighter than the rest of the offering and not showing discoloration. Passings were few and far between. It is estimated that less than 5 per cent, of the wool offered to-day was passed, and of that a substantial proportion was later sold by private treaty. . - Top price was Hid. which was made bv two lots.

The official range of prices is — d h Southdown A 9 to 10 Southdown B Ilalfbred, 56-58— 8 to 8il Extra super Super 11 to 11 i Average 10 to 101 Half bred, 50-56 — Super Average 10 to 101 Inferior 81 to Extra fine crossbred, 48-50 —- to 101 Super 9 £' Inferior 8 to 9 Fine crossbred, 46-48 — Super Average 83 to 91 Inferior 7| to 81 Medium crossbred, 44-46 — Super Average 83 to 91 Inferior to 8 2 Coarse crossbred, 40-44 — Super Average 83 to 91 Inferior 7'2 to 81 Strong crossbred, 38-40 — Super Average •’ 9 i to 10 Inferior 85 to 9

Hoggets— 52-56 ... 10 to lli 50-56 10 to 101, 48-50 9 2 to 10 46-48 9 to 10 Lambs — Down crossbred 83 to 9* Line 9 to 11 Medium 8 to 10 Seedy and inferior 5 to Bellies and pieces, crossbred— blood to super 61 to Low to medium 5 to 62 Halfbred 62 to 9 Cru tellings—• _ . Medium to good 7 to 8* Inferior to seedy 5 to &2 Locks — . Crossbred 4 to