HAPPY SHEEPMEN HEAR THE BEST!

Northern Advocate, 28 November 1936, Page 8

HAPPY SHEEPMEN HEAR THE BEST!

WOOL VALUES SOAR AT AUCKLAND SALE

PRICES UP FROM 50 TO 70 PER CENT, r ' ON LAST YEAR

t Special to “Northern Advocate , ' , AUCKLAND, This Day. FIRST WO.OL SALE OF THE SEASON OPENED AT AUCKLAND THIS MORNING WITH AN OFFERING OF 21,600 BALES TO THE BIGGEST BENCH OF BUYERS EVER PRESENT IN AUCKLAND.

The bidding from the commencement was spirited, and the expected advances were greatly exceeded. The first catalogue was small, but included some particularly good clips from Waiheke Island, and the advance ranged from 50 to 70 per cent, on the last November sale. Skirtirjgs, bellies and pieces and crutchings were bringing above the price formerly paid for fleecy' wool. The extent of the rises appeared to surprise even the buyers, who were hesitant in accepting the new levels established. .

Fleece wool was bringing up to 18d per lb. and one choice line of well-known Waiheke halfbreds realised 26d, compared with 17id for the same clip last year, this being taken by Ross and Glendining for the Rosiyn Mills after a spirited duel with a well-known Bradford firm. Spectators were naturally delighted with what seems a return to old times. It is estimated that the proceeds from the first wool sale will be £441,000, compared with £240,000 last year.

The King of Textiles. There was plenty of evidence that wool is the king of textiles when the sale got under way in the Town Hall Concert Chamber at 8 a.m. Seventyone buyers from Bradford, America, Germany, France, Japan, and., in fact from all countries where textile manufacturing is carried on, faced the j buyetv/' Their phe purpose was to buy Wool. And they provided a reassuring answer to the fear that synthetic textiles ..were likely to prejudice the sale, of wool. The eagerness of their bidding ,and the prices wh-e 1 willing to pay set the >n . ir growers' mindsat rest. ’ This honour Of the Kick-off went to Mr F. S. Haycock, of Alfred Buckland and Sons, whose first offering was six

‘bales of Romney crossbred wool from Mr J. G. Turnwald, of Tahekeroa, Northland. .Last season this clip brought 10£d per lb. There were whistles of surprise from the buyers’ benches as the ! final bid of 14£d per lb was confirmed. But that w;as only the start of the surprises. The next lot, four bales of crossbred hogget wool, went at a Id higher. It was merely the prelude to a Sale, which not only confirmed the expectations of a rise in prices, but which also surprised 90 per cent, of those present by the extent of the advance. Even the buyers themselves seemed to be nonplussed. They seemed reluctant to follow as high price succeeded high price. There were, however, plenty \ of bidders, but those whose commissions forced them to sit back gave vent to their views in occasional murmurings and prolonged whistles. Top Price 26d.

The top price in the first catalogue was 26d for 27 bales of halfbred from Waiheke. There was 100 per cent, clearance in that catalogue.

Bellies and pieces, crutchings and other oddments sold at higher rates than were realised for good fleece wool last November! / ' 'The advance on the first catalogue, compared with the opening sale last year, was anything from 50 to 100 per •cent, up according to the class and condition of the various lots.

Crutchings brought up to 113 d per lb. Bellies and pieces went up to 10£d. Ordinary fleece seemed to range from 14d to 18d and 19d. Not a Single Passing.

The disposal of the second catalogue followed the trend of the first, and a substantial total of 5317 -bales offered by the Farmers’ Co-op., in conjunction with the North Auckland Farmers’, sold under the hammer without a single passing. At this stage the range was approximately:— Super halfbred, at 20d to 26d. . -Medium, 17 1 d to 20d. Coarse, 16d to 17d. * Crossbred (40 to 50), 15d to 16d. Bellies and pieces, ordinary sorts, lOd to 1/-; super, up to 173 d. Crutchings and skirtings, 9’d to to 93d.

The advance computed at this stage -was well over 50 per cent, on last November. “It was a wonderful sale,” said a well-known auctioneer, when the sale was halfway through. “The prices, however, are very irregular, and the bidding is not as free as at many auctions, and I have had to drag the bids in some cases, as the buyers seemed reluctant to follow the new high levels. Competition came mainly from Japan and the Continent, and Bradford was' getting her share cheaply of the top sorts. Steady Competition.

“Competition, though steady, was at no time excited, but the opening values were well sustained. Best halfbreds were secured by a well-known Southern mill, but the buyer was hard-pushed by the Bradford operators, whose buying orders include Japanese requirements. Hogget wool realised exceptional prices, occasionally as high as 20d. Japan appeared to be after all classes. America wanted wool, but was not prominent, and the reason was that the Auckland wool was not what they mainly required. Bellies and pieces were eagerly sought by the Continental buyers Germany, although not prominent, secured a fair weight of wool “Crutchings had a great sale, with extraordinary prices, better than class lots of over 1/-. Lambs’ wool was also sought keenly at up to 14d and 15d a lb.”