DISPOSAL OF WOOL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20229, 13 April 1929, Page 12

DISPOSAL OF WOOL.

AUCKLAND SALE SCHEDULE.

CLAIMS FOR IMPROVEMENT. GREAT INCREASE IN CLIP. Repeated assertions of Auckland's claims to an improved wool sale schedule should bo strengthened by the experience of the current season, with its further evidence of the growth of sheep farming in the province. Efforts by the Auckland committee of the New Zealand Woolbrokers' Association to secure for this centre more suitable sale dates have in the past been nullified by the difficulty of altering the rosier without, undue interference with the New Zaland circuit. It is hoped that now Auckland is rapidly attaining the position of a " wool power " among the provinces, its voice in the arrangement of auctions will carry the weight required to right the position. Woolbrokers of the city claim that the immediate requirement is not necessarily more, but better spaced auctions through the season. The length of time between the first and second Auckland sales is embarrassing in the extreme, to both growers and brokers. The current season has provided an example striking enough, but not nearly as striking as it would have been had there been a wetter spring shearing time. The total number of bales auctioned during the 1928-29 season approximated 52,600 —a record, and about 5500 bales more than the previous year. The remarkable growth of sheep farming in the province is seen from the fact that m 1923-24, 38,853 bales were offered. In 1925 26, the number was 43,891, and expansion since has been rapid. Long Wait For Farmers.

In spite of these so obvious claims to every consideration, tho district has continued to suffer from widely-separated first and second sales. Thus the first sale of the current Auckland seasou was held on November 26, when just over 22,300 bales were catalogued. There was then 110 sale until February 23, when the great total of over 28,200 bales was offered. .At the third and final sale, incidentally arranged for later, and held on lliursday last, a mere 2100 bales of oddments of wool of irregular quality were offered to a rather " thin " bench of buyers. In that period Wellington, with about 100.000 bales, had had five sales. Napier, with nearly as much wool as Wellington, had had four, while tho remaining selling centres had enjoyed sales at convenient intervals.

Mr. E. M. Edgar, secretary of the Auckland Woolbrokers' Association, discussing the situation yesterday, said the long period between the first and second Auckland sales had the effect of causing many of those farmers in the south of the province who missed the first auction to send their wool to Wellington, Wanganui or Napier for sale there. There were those farmers who could not well afford to hold their wool for three months and wait that long for the cheque which means so much to the pastoralist. So it came about that some South Auckland farmers sold out of the province, whereas they would otherwise prefer, to sell in their own business city. One other factor forcing the position was that in a time of good values there was a natural eagerness to sell as early as possible. Auckland's Growing Claim.

Quite apart from this tendency to send wool South and overload Wellington's already heavily-taxed facilities, there was always the fear under the present selling system in Auckland that a wet spring would greatly reduce the offering at the November sale, in which case the situation locally would become very much worse. If the second sale were held in January, and another in February, the periods of waiting would be greatly lessened ; more wool would be sold in Auckland, and tho risk of sales alternating between the insignificant and the exceptionally large would be greatly minimised. For the current season Auckland had been allotted only two sales, although a small " wash-up " auction -had been held later. Next season's roster had not yet been finalised, but up to date there were again only two Auckland auctions scheduled, with hopes for a third " a matter of arrangement." " The fact of the matter is that the rest of New Zealand is slow to recognise tho rapid development of sheep farming in Auckland," said the representative of a woolbroking firm. " Not long ago Taranaki was regarded as the only province fit for large scale dairying. Now look at Auckland, producing more than half the Dominion's butter. In just tho same way this province has been regarded dubiously as sheep farming country, yet the surprising development of the fat lamb trade, especially through the wide introduction of the Southdown cross breed, is forcing lamb and mutton killing figures upward. The wool yield is naturally climbing fast, 100, arid the time is near when those governing the allocation of wool sale dates will be compelled to recognise our claims to better treatment."

WELLINGTON WOOL SALE. SUPPLEMENTARY OFFERING. LATE VALUES MAINTAINED. [BY TELEGRAPH.— I'UESS association.] WELLINGTON, Friday. A supplementary sale of wool was held in Wellington to-day when catalogues totalling about 1400 bales were submitted to a large attendance of buyers. Competition was very keen at prices fully on a par with the level of values at lastsales.