THE WOOL SALES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10769, 6 April 1897, Page 2

THE WOOL SALES.

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. April 4. ~ The wool sales closed firm compared with the opening rates here. Shsfty merinos and the better classes of greasy crossbredg were 7J to 10 per cent, higher. This rise was chit-fly du3 to the extreme eagerness of the American competition. Prices were scarcely maintained for wools suitable for Yorkshire and rhe Continent.

Daring the series 331,000 bales wera catalogued, and 296.000 sold (inciting 10G.000 for home consumption, and 95,000 each for America and the Continent), and 62,000 bales were held over for the third series, which commence on May 4.

Ti^e New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Ageocy Company (Limited) have received the following cable from their London office: " Wool: Top. sales closed firmly, but there is much irregularity in the bidding. Since the c'o*e of last sales greasy merino super, fine, and medium greasy crossbred are -si to Id per lb higher : greasy merino medium and inferior, fire washed and fine scoured crossbred are par to -id lower; washed merino super, medium, and inferior, and scoured merino medium and inferior are g-d to Id per lb lower; other descriptions unchanged. Wools of a faulty charaelfr tiro neglected. Th« tobil quantity sold during the past sales is 296000 tule?, of which 95,000 bales have been taken for the Contiueut and 95,000 for America; id is estimated that 62,000 bale* hive been held over for future disposal."

Messrs Dalgety atid Company have received the following cablegram from their head office, dated London, 3rd inst: —"Wool sali-s closed firm, and lately reported rates are fully rnaiutained.OOfu f- of rhe net quantity available for sale some 100.000 bales hive been sold for home c 'nsumptiou, 16,600 bales for the Continent, 95,000 biles for America, leaving 60,000 bales to be carried forward to the next series. For all good New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australian -greasy wools in good condition pricfia are, on the average, 5 to 10 per cent, higher than cl< sing rxtes of last series. For other descriptions prices are on the aven.ge at par to 5 per cent, lower thin closing rate* of last series; inferior and faulty wools and earthy wools rather more."