THE WOOL SALES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2244, 4 March 1897, Page 14

THE WOOL SALES.

| THE DUNEDIN SALES. j The fourth of the saries of wool sales for tha season was held on Friday in the Choral Hall, There was a fair attendance of buyers. The following was the number of bales submitted by the, various broken :— Bales. - Wright, Stephenson, and Co. ... 257 Farmers' Agency Company 227 New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company 216 Mutual Aeency Company (Limited) 209 Dalgety and Co 193 Donald Reid and Co 178 Stronach Bros, and Morris ... „. 154 Moiitzson and Hopkin ... ... 80 William E. Reynolds and Co. ... 58 Total 1572 The selling brokers report :— • Wright. Stephenson, and Co. report as follows :— The fourth series of wool sales was held today (Friday) at the Choral Hall, when about 1550 bales were submitted by the various selling brokers. This quantity shows a considerable falling off as compared with the corresponding sale of last season, and is doubtless accounted for by the fact that shearing generally was earlier on account of the dry season. The attendance of buyers was not so large as at the previous sales, but all sections of the trade were represented. Competition was brisk, especially for any wools free from seed and in good condition ; pieces also were well competed for. Quality : The bulk of the wools offered were of poor quality and in bad- condition, being made up for the most part of utragelars' lots and late ■horn clips showing a considerable amount of seed and condition. Prices, as compared with last sale*, show little or no change. Merinoej, especially those in heavy condition, were slightly easier, while croasbreds and halfbreds, free from seed and in good condition, were in good demand, and brought slightly more than last sale. Pieces and . locks were fully up to last sale prices. Below we give current prices :—

Tiib New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company (Limited) report having held their fourth Bale of the season's series at the Choral Hall ou Friday forenoon, when the attendance, though not quite so large, was fairly representative, comprising both Home and local buyers; and considering tbe quality of the wools offered, competition was very spirited, and prices showed in many instances a slight advance compared with those obtaining at the last sales, medium greasy cross and halfbred fetching 6}d to 7§d ; medium do inoiino, s}d to 6Jd. The quantity offered was about 1500 bales, mostly inferior to medium qu.lity, of which we submitted 215 bales, all of which were placed. The Mutual Agency Company of New Zealand (Limited) report having held their fourth wool sale on Friday, The attendance vrat only a moderate one, but notwithstanding this the bidding was quick and lively, and considering the quality of wool offered prices all round were quite on a par with those of previous sales. Tho following brands realised best prices : — W5, 5 bales merino ewe <s£d, 7 halfbred hogget 7Jd, 4 crossbred hogget 7id, 2 Romney 7Jd ; WE, 6 merino s|d ; JM, 11 crossbred wether and ewe 7sd, 4, crossbred hogget 7}d. The balance of our catalogue consisted of inferior to medium qualities and odd- | ments. j The Farmers' Agency Company (Limited) held I their fourth sale of the season on Friday, the ; 26th inst., and submitted a catalogue of 261 bales. Ths attendance of buyers was not so large as at previous sales, but tho3e present were keen enough to do business at prices which were barely up to those ruling at the last tales, low sorts showing a decline of id to j^d per lb, while best lots were fully equal to anything throughout the season. Merinos and heavy pieces were not in the usual request, and must be quoted a fraction easier. Best crossbreds brought 7d to 7^d ; medium do, 6Jd to 6}d ; inferior do, 6Jd to 6|d ; beat merino, 5Jd to 6d ; inferior and medium, Cd to 5Jd ; pieces, 3d to 4Jd ; belliet, 2d to 3Jd ; look*, id to 2d ; scoured locks and pieces, 4d to lid. Messrs Stronach Bros, and Morris report as follows :— We held our fourth sale of the season at the Choral Hall on Friday, 26th inst. Altogether some 1600 bales were submitted, the bulk of the offerings being odd lots of stragglers' wool of only medium quality. The attendance of buyers was not so large as at previous sales, some of the. Home purchasers having left tbe colony during "the early part of the month, as is their usual custom. Competition was good up to limits. We offered 154 bales, the major portion of which was sold at auction at values on a par with thoße ruling at the sale of the 2nd inst. Messrs William E. Reynolds and Co., Bond street, report as follows :— We held our fourth sale of the season in the Choral Hall, Moray place, on Friday, before a fair attendance of buyers, and were successful in clearing our catalogue at satisfactory prices. The buyers were not by any means in as full attendance as at the last sale. Still, those who were preient bid up very freely, and as the quantity catalogued was small, buyers were readily found for all of it. Prices were, in our opinion, quite up to those of previous sales ; but we cannot report any change in any grades whatever, unless it be that merino was better sought after. So far no date has been fixed for the fifth sale, but one is certain to be arranged for to clear up odd lino, which we advise farmers to forward promptly, and not miss the last chance of selling locally this season. Messrs Dalgety and Co. (Limited) report hay. ing held their fourth sale for this season at tho Choral Hall on Friday, when they offered a. catalogue comprisiDg 193 bales. The greater portion of the wool consisted of heavy merino and medium quality halfbreds and crossbred*, no really good lots being offered. The demand was fairly active, and values, with the exception of those for merinos, which were slightly easier, ruled much the same as at last sale. Messrs Mobixzson and Hopiun report hAYIBJf

held their fourth sale of the season in the Choral Hall on Friday, when there was a fairly large attendance of buyers. The catalogues offered by the various agents were made up principally of a few late shorn clips and odds and ends. Competition was britk for fleece wool, and prices ruled about the tame as last sale. Bellies and piece?. however, were not so keenly competed for, and prices for them were quite id to Jd ter lb below those of the previom sale. We offered 91 biles, and cleared the lot at quotations. The following are the ruling values :— Greasy extra super halfbred, BJd to B}d; super halfbred, 7Jd to Bid ; medium, 6Jd to 7id ; itferior, s§_d to 6Jd ; graasy super crossbred, 7}d to Bid ; medium, 6Jd to 7id ; inferior, sid to 61d; greaßy super merino, 7d to 8d : medium, 6d to 6Jd ; inferior, 4Jd to s}d ; bellies and pieces (best), 6d to 6}d ; good, 5d to sid; medium, 3Jd to 4id ; inferior, 2d to 3d per lb.

Greasy— ffalfbred Croiabred Merino ... Pieces ... tSuperior. .?. d. 81 to 8} 8 •• 8i U » 8 61 .. 7 d. d. 7i to 8 7i ii 8 4 .. 7 5 i. 61 Good. Medium. Inferior. d. d. d. d 7 Ci to 7 51 to 6J 6} ii 71 5} " 6J 6 it 6J 4} ii 5J 4 ii 4} 3' ii 3J