VALUES EASIER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27569, 11 December 1950, Page 6

VALUES EASIER

Timaru Wool Sale

NEW RECORDS FOR DISTRICT PA TIMARU. Dec. 10. While showing a slight easing on values at the Christchurch sales for fine wools, prices paid at the first Timaru wool sale of the season on Saturday set new records for South Canterbury. The average price was estimated at 105 d, and it is expected that the wool will yield growers more than £4,500,000 as compared with the return of £2,046,738 at the January sale this year. The top price of the sale, 142 id was paid for four bales of super combing merino from the Mount Cook Station in the Mackenzie Country, but the strongest selling wools were crossbred lines, the main competition coming from the Continent, particularly France, and those who were buying for United States interests. Bradford came into the market sparingly. Merino fine-wool growers must have felt a litle disappointed at the small margin between the fine wools and the coarser grades. The bulk of the merino offered was average to good, fetching between 118 d and 124 d, while the average to good crossbreds made from IOOd to 108 d. At the first sale of the season in January of this year, similar merino lines made up to 64d, while the crossbred of the same quality made no more than 41d. The offering totalled 29,594 bales. There were only about three passings. The biggest drop was in the threeQuarter wools, the 52 and 50/56 classes. Below the 50 count the market was firm to strong.

Fine halfbred wool was, erratic, there being surprising variations in clips from single growers. As usual, the New Zealand mills were selective in their purchases coming forward strongly for the best type of wools. The binned wools of good fleece provided the spark of fire in the bidding as Bradford buyers sought to snap up the larger lots, which often exceeded 100 bales. One lot of 270 bales at 102 d per lb was sold for a gross return of about £33,750. The rise in bidding was only from IOOd to 102 d, so that the price, was reached in a matter of seconds. Another lot of 111 bales went to Bradford. The sum of £IB,OOO, which the sale represented will be split up among many growers. In the first catalogue, fine halfbred topped super merino clips by several pence. Seven bales of reclassed fine halfbred wool went to a Dunedin mill for 137 d. That figure was not exceeded for halfbred during the sale. It took some binned merino in the second catalogue to set the pace, three bales going to a New Zealand mill for 140 d. The merino wools drawn almost entirely from the MacKenzie Country stations, were well grown, soft handling and full of character, according to the official report of the South Canterbury Woolbrokers’ Association. Wool from certain areas suffered from bad weather in the early spring and did not open up as attractively as the clips had done in the previous seasons. Corriedales and halfbreds from the foothills, and the plains and crossbreds from the coastal areas made up the balance of the offering. The criticism of the merino clips applied equally to crossbreds. • The Timaru offering is unique in that wools ranging from finest merinos to strong crossbreds are offered at this centre. Although the prices at this sale were the highest that have been paid here, the sale at times was not so animated as has been seen in some years. Prices were not as high for fine wools as anticipated, and the margin between fine and coarse woolsr was not great. Range Of Ranges

The following is the official range of prices:— . a. «•

Merino, 60/64’s— to 142 Extra super 135 Good to super ... .. 123 to 134 Average to good .. •• 108 to 122 Inferior 76 to 107 Southdown, 58/60’s — 120 116 to 125 to 119 Good to super .. .. Average 107 to 115 Extra fine halfbred, 58/60’s — 132 to 134 Good to super .. .. 122 to 131 Average to good .. .. 112 to 121 Inferior .... .. • • 102 to 111 Fine halfbred, 56/58’s — 132 to 137 Extra super Three-quarterbred, 50/56’S— Extra super 118 to 120 Good to super .. 112 to 117 Average to good .. •• 107 to 111 Inferior 97 to 106 Extra fine crossbred, 52’s— 106 to 111 Good to super .. •• Average to good .. .. 100 to 105 Inferior .. 95 to 99 Fine crossbred. 48/50’s — 112 to 118 Good to super .. .. Average to good .. .. Inferior 103 94 to 111 to 102 Medium crossbred, 46/48’s— Good to super .. •• 108 to 119 Average to good .. . 99 to 109 Strong crossbred, 40/46’s — Good to super .. •• 109 to 113 Average to good .. .. 98 to 108 Inferior 85 Extra fine halfbred hogget, 58/60’s— 126 to 128 Good to super .. •• 118 to 125 Average to good .. .. Fine halfbred hogget. 105 to 117 56/58’s— 125 to 127 Good to super ... •• 116 to 124 Average to good .. .. Inferior • • 104 90 to 115 to 100 Three-quarterbred hogget, 54/56’s — Good to super .. •• Average to good .. .. 109 102 to 113 to 108 Fine crossbred hogget, 50/52's —‘ Good to super .. •• 110 to 116 Average to good .. •• Inferior 100 94 to 109 to 99 Medium crossbred hogget 46/50’s— Good to super .. .. 110 to 114 Average to good 99 to 109 to 98 Inferior Three-quarterbred hogget 50/56’s (shorn.0— 94 115 to 122 Good to super .. .. Fine crossbred hogget 48/50’s (shorn)— Good to super .. .. 112 102 to 116 to 111 Necks Merino 60/64’s— 110 to 116 Good to super .. .. Average .. 98 to 108 Halfbred 56/58’s— Good to super .. .. 112 106 to 116 to 111 Three-quarter necks 50/56’s— to 112 108 Good to super .. .. Average 102 to 107 Inferior 92 to 101 Crossbred necks 48/50’s — Good to super .. .. 100 90 to 106 to 99 Pieces Merino 60/64’s— 105 to 114 Good to super .. .. Average to good 91 to 104 Halfbred 56/58’s— 103 to 113 Good to super .. .. Average to good 87 to 102 t Inferior .. 69 to 86 Three-quarterbred 50/56’s— 92 to 102 Good to super .. .. Average to good 79 to 91 Inferior 69 to 78 Crossbred 46/50’s— 92 to 99 Good to super .. .. 72 to 91 Bellies Merino 60/64’s— to 98 Good to super .. .. 88 78 to 87 Halfbred 56/58’s— Good to super .. .. 90 to 97 Average 80 to 89 Inferior 70 to 7% Three-auarterbred 50/56’s— to 90 Good to super .. .. 80 70 to 78 Crossbred 46/50’s— Good to super .. .. 80 to 83 Average 75 to 79 Inferior .. ., .. .. 67 to 74 Crutchings Merino 60/64’s— to 61 Good to super .. .. — Halfbred 56/58’s— to 90 Good to super .. .. 84 70 to 83 Three-quarterbred 50/56’s— 84 to 92 Good to super .. .. Average 70 to 83 Locks Merino 60/64’s .. .. — to 67 Hallbred 50/5G’s 55 to 60 C'os-bred 46/50’s 53 to 60