LONDON WOOL SALES. (From Our Special Correspondent.) London, October 15.

Otago Witness, Issue 2287, 30 December 1897, Page 6

LONDON WOOL SALES. (From Our Special Correspondent.) London, October 15.

VALUES STEADY AND SOUND.

Matters this week have moved steadily, bus with no special advance either forward or backward. But the sittings this week have revealed the fact that the course of prices for tho pro. sent have reßched their maximum. There has been no lack of competition, no diminution in theeagerne»s of buyers lo obtain good, shaftybodied wotl-3 ; but here and there, owing to trade at consuming centres being slow and dragging, buyers have not shown that fierceness to take anything which was mmifest last week, consequently shtbby, seedy, burry parctli and anything of a doubtful yit ld has been a little weaker and a shade easier to buy. But the dividing line has been fehorfc, sharp, aud crisp. Anything that showed good combing character has beea takeu at the very top values of the series, bII sections being anxious to get them. Germany has bought more freely this week tbau hither co, having taken an heavy Wcijihb of scoured wools of a medium charftcttr. Likewise, so mo good Nt\\ Zetland crohsb eels have fallen to their bids, as well as average greasy merinos. Then French topn^kecs hsve kept bard at it among all qualities, runnirg level with the home trade io unj thing of a good shaffcy growth. Bub horao trade buyers havo all along been the greatest prop to the sales. Mcst persietpnhaiid continuous have been their efforts to secure all grades of WQ(jj[, and a big- weight will go inbo Yorkt-liire esppcL-" ally. Both New England and Queensland merinos have been looked into keenly, while the few western lota were snappsd up alao. Americans have continued to buy more or less of the be--l new clip Queensland's, paying very bop values lor them. In New Z.alaiirld, Bradford buyer? have baen at home with the crossbreds, taking the m?]3r portion. So far as Cape wools are concerned greasies have been scarce, but the few tffcred have realised very well indeed. Scoureds — evidently wools from the riuderpesb districts — have been very plentiful, and here some weakness faas been manifest. Bat all thinga coupidered values for all respectable wools are realising the fullest rates of the eeries, the only weakness — and it is very alight — beiDg in the grades already mentioned. Closing letter nexb week.

Suld by Messts Cbas. Balme and Co., October G:— Hildcrsden : Grease -33 biles A com bine bogpets 8. 13 B do 7id, U A combing Bd, 310 do 7Z3, 21 do 7H, 18 B combing 7R 88 do 7d, 41 I) combiDg 6^l, 12 E combing 7d, 20 first pieces 7d. This was very good in quality, bhafty, sound, bub rather heavy in g'eise. Jl£ over Wairua : Scoured— £o7 h.- If bred withdrawn, 39 first do 13d, !> A hnlfljied Ud. V 3 B do 10.1, S (J do lO.'d, 30 first crossbred ll'.d, 3 A do 10J, 3 B 'lo 9d, (5 (J do lOd. (5 Leicester lid, 55 halfbieJ do Hid, 11 crossbred pieces 10 1, 5 do 9VJ, (J Leicester pieces 9Jd, 2 locks SJ. These were very well done, Out limits, were above the room for the first few lots. If New Zealand tquatters would take my advice they would cease scouring their croasbred wools. They sell fully ;u well in the grease, aud often better. fold by filcssts "WillAns and Overbury, s.ime day :— Moana over Otago : Greasy— 4 bales first r.oiubing Sd, 12 do cjuai tsrbred 9}d, 45 do half bred 9d, IS do tUree-qua.rterbr.ed withdraws, li pieces

halfbved Cd. These were nice little lots, good quality, and clean. WAIE Co. : Slips— lso first combing crossbred 9id, 13 do 9d, 42 do Bid, 76 do 9d, 33 do 811, 51 second combing crossbred 7Jel, 21 first lacubs crossbied 10J, 6 do 9id, and a few small lots. Theje lambs were nice Btuff, clean, and fair combing length, and the others were very uniform throughout. Sold by Messrs Buxton, Ronald, and Co., October B.— R Win diamond over Gore : S'ipe— 64 bales first merino 9J, 16 third do 73d, 12d07Jd,7 first halfbred 30Jd, 7 do crossbred S}d, 7 do super 9Jd, 7 first super three-quarterbred 84d, 32 first halfbred lambs lljtl, 29 do crossbred lambs lid, 32 do 10£ d, 31 first three quavterbred lambs lOJd, 28 do lOd, 11 A crossbred 10(1, G do 9d, 5 crossbred Bid. 4 do 7R 15 do 7id, 6 do pieces 7il, 11 do 7d, 4 crossbred lambs lOd, 23 do SJd : greasy— sl super halfbred combing hoggets 9d, 88 super crossbred combing 9d, 70 super three-quarterbred combing 9Jd, 30 Leicester 9d. The secret why this mark is always well looked iuto is the thoroughness and carefulness in which the varied qualities come to market. These different grades were good and carefully claEsed. Lambhill : Greasj — £0 first balfbred combing 9d, 21 do crossbred combing B£d, 40 do Bd, 14 second do Bd, 48 first three-quartevbred combing Si'J, 6 crossbred Bd, 11 do pieces 7d. \yillt over Fortrose : Greasy— s7 first halfbred combing 9d, 13 crossbred combing BM, 5 three quarterbrcd do Bd, Bath these clips were really good, shafty, and well got up. Sold by 1 Messrs Jacomb, Son, and Co., October 9 :—IIW: — 11 W in diamond over Gore : A very large line of scoured wools _were offered, and realised up to 16d both for mcrinoo and cros^breds. They were iplendid. NgatinnnuMg^ : Gieiso— 93 bales crossbred 71d, 91 do 7d, 17 three-quarterbred 7d, 47 halfbred 6?<l. v These were very poor and wasty. Attend lo condit'ou, and keep up lustre and a good giowth. St. 01 air : Grease— lo halfbred BJd, 12 ciossbred Sid, 17 do 7Jd, 13 thveequarleibred 9.1, 24 Leict&ter 9W, 37 crossbred pieces 4Jd, 8 combing 7Jd. These were good average shsfty wools.

Tha one topic of opcsial intcesb pertaining to tho primary consnraing wool market is the continued boM front shown at all distributing centres, and more particularly London. Here this market has ruled rather quieb ; there has bam very little donacilic wool Belling, and new tracsact'ons in foreign wools have been comparatively light. In sonic cases good sales of colonial wool continue to be reported, but it muit be stated that a considersble portion oi such sales are made up cf contracts consummated some time Bgo, aud not; giveti out until the actual arrival of the wcol'c. This movemeat, though Jimittd, tends to keep things from becoming settled and Dxed, bub any increase of new buaiucss camob yet be reported. Tho piM'Uoa of thing* in London t>nds to make this inaik-it vei-y solid in point oF prices, but there is no furl her advance in thu loasr. As was pointed oat lasb week this market his gone as fur aa it dares until there is an increase of consumption and an addition ot fr< sh orders to tpinuors' bo-.ke. It is indeed remarkable that prices for tors have gouo up at It-act 15 per cent, from the bottom, but yarn prices are still fleering ab not moie^ than Id from the 10-svcsb point ot two months pgo. This makes tho position of consumers a very critical one, many affirming ib to be an absolute impassibility to do more than prevent running their spindlos at a loss. Some users, whose motives undoubtedly are interested, affum th=*t thiß rise in the raw article is only temporary, and that in a month or two extremely low pricss wi'l again be the rule. But on the other h&iul the bta'i posted men in the trade discount nil such statements, and consider prfSinb prices for merinos good for ab least another six months. Coupled with the shrinkage in supi lies, signs are uot wanting thst merinos will enter upjn an increased consumption in v the manufacture of nexl spring dress fabric, rnvuy Bradford makes already being good sellers. Fine crossbred* are firm, but average 40V are sexreely so sound, although pricts are t;ob quoUbly lower. Although the yarn ma'keb business is confined to a great extant lo Pales lo go into speedy consumption, there i« a less " blno " feeling among spinners. Horns demands are slightly bstter. In piece goods there is less depression, the principal tuoport coming from home requirements. F.oiu America ib ia considered certain that moce orders will be stirring later, stocks there being depleted fa3t.