BIDDING AT AUCKLAND WOOL SALE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 24 January 1939, Page 5

BIDDING AT AUCKLAND WOOL SALE

DROP ON NOVEMBER PRICES QUALITY BELOW USUAL STANDARD I United Press Association! AUCKLAND, This Day. The second Auckland wool sale of the season opened to-day with an offering of 24,000 bales before a bench of about 60 buyers. Less than a dozen were responsible for most of the bidding. The wool. In quality and condition, was not equal to that offered at the first sale in November and below the standard of the usual second sale. This was due to the unfavourable winter condi-

Bidding was particularly keen from the front benches representing Bradford and Continental buyers, but limits : were obviously very rigid on a basis | .similar to that ruling at the last DoI minion sale at Wanganui, this being from a Id to lAd less than was obtained at Auckland In November. In the first catalogue fleece wools generally ranged from 8d to fid per lb and special prices were obtained for seven bales of Ryeland fine crossbred. Waiheke halfbred was passed in at 113 d and seven bales of Corriedale under the brand “Mangatangi” brought 14J. As near as could be judged passings on the first catalogue approximated 15 per cent. The trend shown in the first catalogue was maintained throughout with brisk bidding under rigid price limits. Passings averaged about 15 per cent, of Hie offerings, a striking contrast to the first sale when practically an entire clearance was effected at prices slightly higher than expected. The consensus of opinion among #experts to-day was that the whole sale was slightly easier than on Wanganui, good wools being firm while shabby and inferior sorts were about a farthing lower. Some purchases were made for Japan while America was occasionally in the market for coarser sorts, but the bulk of the offering went to Bradford I end the Continent, with Germany opeI rating freely. I It is reported that buyers received poor reports from London this morning. The condition of the wool offering was doubtless responsible to some extent for the lower prices. During the winter months the outbreak of eczema in the Auckland province not only decimated flocks but also deteriorated the condition o’ the wool of surviving sheep, in addition to which many flocks did not receive their customary treatment.