WOOL SALES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15986, 31 January 1914, Page 10

WOOL SALES

PRICES FIRM AT AUCKLAND WOOL'BADLY PUT UP. (Peb United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, January 30. Over 11,400 bales were presented at the second wool sale of the season held to-day. On account of the wool held back iroin the first sale through labour troubles, the catalogue was exceptionally large, and a good clearance, was effected of all lines at satisfactory prices. The feature of the sale was the exceptional prices realised for lambs'wool, good sons making up to llfd per lb, and seedy from 6d to 7d per lb. Prices on the whole were very satisfactory, comparing favourably with any realised in New Zealand this summer, if an exemption bo made in favour of certain lines which always command relatively high prices at Dunedin on account of their suitability for the American market and the competition of local woollen manufacturers. Strong crossbreds brought prices fully equal to those obtained in any other New Zealand centre, if not a shade higher. Compared with the firet sale of the season in November, lino crossbreds sold at level values. Strong crossbreds and three-quarter wools were id to Id per lb higher; shabby, coarse crossbred wools were from par to id higher; and bellies and .pieces sold from par to higher. Bitter complaints arc made by buyers as to the manner in which the wool was put up. " I have had 23 years' experience in New Zealand, and I have never seen a collection of nearly 11,500 bales of wool put -up with such little regard for making it marketable," declared Mr W. Hill, president of the New Zealand Wool Buyers' Association. To the bad get-up of the wool is attributed the comparative absence of American competition. An American buyer remarked that a good many farmers had the idea that they could put anything into their bales and the Americans would buy it all. There was no ground for such an assumption. Americans would compete for all classes that were well grown and properly prepared for the market, but not for anything at all. It could not be said that the removal of the tariff against the introduction of foreign wool into the United States had any cffect yesterday. Those who expected keen competition from America overlooked, among other things, tho fact that when the tariff was removed on December 1 there were 40,000,0001b of foreign wool in bond in the United States —equal to about six consumption under the existing conditions. THE WELLINGTON SALES. (Pin United I'r.ess Association.) WELLINGTON, January 30. It is expected that the catalogue for the third Wellington wool sale on Friday will comprise 2000 bales.