DEMAND FOR WOOL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20427, 2 December 1929, Page 13

DEMAND FOR WOOL.

FIRST CHRISTOHURCH SALE. IMPROVEMHSTT IN BIDDING. RUSSIAN BUYERS ACTIVE. [BT TELEQRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CHRISTCHURCH, Saturday. The first Christchureh wool sale of the season was held to-day before a full bench of buyers, representing all buying countries of the world. Bradford and the Continent were well represented. The sale generally was a good one, with a freer tone than was in evidence at the recent sales at Wellington and Auckland. It was known that prices would bo well below thoso of the first Christchureh sale of last year, but the figures reached today wero in most cases above those expected.

Competition all round was keen up to buyers' limits. Bradford bought freely and thero was keen bidding for fine halfbred and Corriedale, which sold well. Coarser halfbreds came up to sellers' expectations, which wero not high. Crossbreds were easier than at tho North Island sales, but some of the difference would be made up in the weight, as the North Island crossbred fleeces* are lighter. Continental competition was mainly from Russia, which bid high for the finer halfbreds. Local mills were also in tho running for this class of wool, which was forced up to about- 2d per lb. ab(/ve Lon don values. Bradford buyers wero not operating at those prices. Scourers wero forced off the market by tho high values. Corriedale wool reached 18|d per lb. and fine halfbred 18£ d. The prices for these last year were up to 24d. A total of 1fi,199 bales was offered, compared with 16,121 bales at the first sale last year. The quality, although running from fair to good and including some outstanding clips, was not as high as last year, when the quality was exceptional. Tho very dry spring resulted in more dingy wool coming forward. The fact that fewer bales were on offer this year has been caused by some farmers deciding to hold over their clips until later in the seavson. The offering, which contained very little Merino wool, was mostly from North Canterbury farms and stations. OFFICIAL RANGE OF PRICES. MANY CLITS DISCOLOURED. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, Saturday.

The following is the official report-: There was a good selection of fine-quality wools, containing a good proportion of hoggets, the condition generally being fairly sound and; light. Many of the clips were discoloured and dusty owing to the dry season. Bidding was keen and wellsustained up to restricted limits. A number of super lines met with exceptional demand from local milLs and foreign competitors. The following is the range of prices:— Merino.—Super, 13c? to 13£ d; average, lid to 12|d; inferior, 9|d to lO^d. Corriedffie. —Extra super, to 18>}d; super, 13jd to 15d; average, 12d to 13u; inferior, lOd to lljd. Fine Halfbred.—Extra super, to 18|d ; super, 13£ dto 15d; average, 12d to 1,3 d; inferior, lid to lljd. Medium Halfbred.—Extra super, to 17jd; super, 13d to aJverage, to 12£ d; inferior, 9d to lid. Coarse Halfbred.—Extra super, to 14^d; super, 12|d to 13£ d; average, lid to 12d; inferior, 9d to 10jd. Fine Crossbred.—Super, to 12^d; average, 10jd to inferior, 9d to lOd. Medium Crossbred.—Super, IOJd to ll^d; average, lOd to inferior, 8d to 9d. Bellies and Pieces.—Merino: Good to super, 9d <o lid; low to medium, 7d to Crossbred: Good to super, 8d to lOd; low to medium, 6d to 7£d. Crutchings.—Medium to good, 7d to 9d; inferior and seedy, 4d to 6d. Locks.—Merino. 5d to 7d; halfbred, to 6£d; crossbred, 4d to s|d. Halfbred Bellies.—Good to super, 9d to lOd; low to medium, 7d to B|d. Halfbred Pieces.—Good to super, 10£ d to 13d; low to medium, to 9d. LONDON WOOL SALES. PRICES FULLY MAINTAINED. CLOSING DATE WEDNESDAY. LONDON. Nov. 29. At to-day's wool sales 7756 bales were offered, of which 2067 were from New Zealand. There was a medium selection of greasy Merinos, principally super-style speculators" lots. Quotations were fully maintained. The sales will close on Wed-, nesday. LARGER USE OF WOOL. NEED TO REDUCE COSTS. COMPETITION OF SILK. (Received November 30, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 29. The International Wool Conference at Bradford decided to do its utmost to further the "use more wool" campaign. Mr. William Hunter (England) said that if the public could buy woollen goods at a price having some relation to production costs the consumption of such goods could be doubled or trebled. The cost of distribution was out of ail proportion to the ccsfc of making. The Lord Mayor of Bradford gave a luncheon to the delegates, at which Mr. Maurice Dubrulle, a French delegate, said the woolgrowers of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa had drawn his attention to the extent of the publicity given to artificial silk and wool, which had caught the public eye, to the detriment of the natural wool. _ It was naturally not astonishing that some woolgrowers were considering the advisability .of killing their flocks and adapting "their grazing land to agricultural purposes. It was undeniable that the silk nozzle had displaced v.he wool sack in the realm of feminine clothing, but the situation was beginning to readjust itself. It was being realised that wool, as a natural animal fibre, possessed inherent characteristics lacking in artificial substitutes. There were indications that wool was returning to favour. The leading creators of fashion in Paris and other capitals were giving the revival every encouragement.