THE LOCAL SALES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1949, 2 July 1891, Page 15

THE LOCAL SALES.

The following letter, addressed to Mr G. M. Bell from a well-known flockowner north of Dunedin, was read (says the Mataura Ensign) at Saturday's meeting of the Gore Farmers' Club:—

'♦Dear Sir,— l take the liberty of writing to you, as president of the Otago Farmers' Club, to bring one or two things under your notice whioh I think require looking into in connection with the sale of wool in Dunedin.

" (I) The question of tare. The actual tare of a bale is barely lllb, but the buyers have demanded and the brokers oroceded an extra pound, and we are now told that we must submit to a 121b tare, and, as you are aware, we already allow lib per cwt draft, or equal to 31b per bale. The reason for this new charge is that at the opening eaXe last year the brokers inserted in the conditions of sale a 2s 6d per bale delivery charge, whioh the buyers refused to pay. After long argument the matter was settled by the buyers agreeing to pay Is 6d per bale, but to meet this they have got the brokers to give the extra pound tare. This concession is iniquitous and illegal, and should be strongly resisted ; and the only way to do this is by shipping our wool instead of selling locally. Personally I have already given my agents notice that the wool Will not pass through their hands in the coming season as it has on the three previous unless the tare be fixed as before— v'z., lllb

11 (2) The charges on wool. Under cover you will find the charges fixed by the Dunedin brokers December 1, 1890, and a copy of the charges in Sydney in 1884 I have not the present ones, which I believe are altered. Comparison of the two gives the following results:— Receiving, weighing, &?., Is 8d per lb in both Catalagues* and advertisements are greatly cheaper in the Sydney list after about 400 is reached. Thus, 500 would cost under this head 10s 6d in Sydney and 15« 8d in Dunedin. For very small amounts the Sydney charges are rather heavier, Insurance is also cheaper in Sydney. Thus, £100 would cost 2> 6d in Sydney and 4s in Dunedin to insnra. Commission is, as yon will at once see, greatly cheaper in Sydney. My opinion is that tbe commission on a clip, the total value of which is £100 or under, should be 2£d per cent., but that clips wbioh exceed £100 should be sold right through at 1£ per oeut. My wool was sold under tba.t agree-

ment for two years, and the broken did very well out of it,

The value of the estate of the late William Norman, of Christchurch, has been sworn as under £40,000.