LONDON WOOL SALES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2310, 9 June 1898, Page 6

LONDON WOOL SALES.

(Feom Oub {Special Cohbfspondent.) Bradford, April 8. A SATISFACTORY PINISH. Respecting the close of this present saries of sales, Messrs Will&ns and Over bury sum up the procceedings as follows : — The catalogues have comprised- tbe following quantities, viz. :— Bales. New South Wale 3 ... ... 69,220 Queensland .... 30,069 Victoria 38,806 South Australia „ 9,178 West Australia 2,808 Tasmania^- 1 . .. .*, 21* New Zealand ,» £8,-182 ,-. Cape and Natal ... 13,193 Total ... „. ... 211,724 The series opened wffch a-large attendance of buyers, from all manufacturing c&ntrea except America, and prices -of Australasian merino descriptions weze quoted &t par bo 5 per cent, above the final level of the preceding auotions,.--The course of the market during tho first week was one of increasing firmness, and great animation pervaded bhe biddings, competition being ; general on the part of all sections o? the trade > with the exception of the United States. Afterwards Germany assumed the position cf leading ! operator, and in spite of a revival of activity on the parb of Franca and the home trade during the final week of the series, maintained 16 to bhe end. The absenca of buying on account; of America affected the value of superior Western Victoria greasy merinos to such an extent that except in the case of lots of exceptionally fine quality thoy did ' no's quite mainbain January rates. .Deep-grown, shaffcy parcels of ordinary breed and quality were similarly affected, bub with these exceptions an advauca was established in the value of all Australasian merino wools, scoured descriptions showing the ! greatest improvenaen fc.

In bhe early days of fcha series bhe finer crossbreds were unchanged, bub subsequently these fully participated in the upward movement. On the other hand, medium and coarse qualities, which opened ab a decline "of 5 percent, receded sbill further until aboub the middle of the ■cries, when without showing any quotable racovery in value, they experienced a considerably increased demand.

South African growths did nob at firsfc participate bo any marked extent in the upward movement, bub the sales had nob loog been in pro* gress before buyers' turned their attention bo them as a substitute for .Australasian wools. The desire of the Yorkshire trade to secure % lower-priced merino " top " than could be produced from the latter caused a notable advance in bhe value of greasy capes and Natals of combing character, while the clothing trade showed equal keenness to secure medium snow* whites, bringing about a similar result. Corn* pared with last sales' closing rates we quote :

Australasian.

Merino, West Victorian. super, greasy— . . par to Jd per Ib lower „ good and super ... Id „ higher „ medium to inferior id to id „ „ „ super scoured .. Jd told ,j „ „ all other classes ... Id ,» „ „ good to super lambs id to Id „ „ medium . ... Id to id ,j „ „ faulty par to |d a „ „ good and super scoured , Id ,', „ medium scoured : . Jd ft •• Crossbred, greasy— finer grades &d to id v „ „ medium .„ .„ id tl lower „ coarse... Id to 3d „ „ „ sllpe— finar grades... id to Id M higher I „ slips— medium „. Jd ft lower South African. Snow-white, super ... Jd „ higher „ „ medium ... Id § „ Fleece, washed, Sd tofd U Combing greasy „. „. fd to|d a ti Clothing greasy „ •-. £d „ The next series are fixed to commence on Maw 3, th« list of gross arrivals bo be limited to 300,000 bales. The fourth series is fixed bo open on June 28, groas arrivals limited to 300,000 bales.

Snow-wl

Sold by Messrs H. Irwell and Co., March 30 j— Mount Parker over T and L : Giease— 2l balea super half bred Bd, 19 half bred H ?Jd, 12 crossbred H 6Jd 28 thrcequarter-bred H fi?d, 9 crossbred

Towaend's Cinnamon Cure is the latest andl mosb certain remedy for bronchitis, bronchial asthma, whooping cough, croup, So. Sold Menuriiere* 2a fid.—Advfe.

pieces 6Jd. These lacked style, lustre, andespeci- ' Ally condition ; also ke-;p Tip quality aud breed. ■ t Sold by Messrs Jacomb, Sou, aud Co., March j '31:— CGC over.Kumeroa: Grease— l 7 bales-A j ' crossbred Bd, 23 B do withdrawn, IB C do 72<1, 15 "' D do 7Jd, 2S X do7id, 1 blick co 6fd,10 crossbred i -pieces 6Jd, 6do '6d.- 10 o % o3sbred bellies 6d, 4do >1 "lambs fid, sdo"7icl. This was a well-grown i stapled wool; .but rather heavy ; also keep up j , treed, lustre, and style. , j . Sold by Messrs H. Sehwartze and Co. same j ' day:— GS over dash: Grease — 4 bales crossbred ] . Bd, 33 do BJd, 72 do Sd, 10 do 7?d, 10 do pieces 6id, I .. 4do 6d, 9 do 6Jd, sdo Ed, 7do lambs B£d. (Jood j " average clip and well grown. H Bros : Gtease — ] 31 croeßbred first combing 7?d, 32 do 7id, 11 do ' second combing 7Jd, 17 crossbred combing 7rt, 3 i do pieces sd, 6do bellies 5Jd. Lacked condition I and attractiveness. A over Akitio : Gi>a->e— 23 : lialfbred first 9d, 31 do second 9d, 35 three-quarter- , bred first Bd, 26 do second Bd, 22 crossbred 7J i, £6 ■ Lincoln 7Jd, 7 crossbred pieces 6£d, 12 do bellies i ' 6Jd. The better qualities sold well' and were i > satisfactory, but the' regaining portion lacked j condition and style. Sold by Messrs BuxtoD, Ronald, and Co., Am % il j • I:— DCoverßß: Greasy— Bbaleshalfbred.4d.l7do i Bd, 4 Hampshire Down H 7h \ 41 crossbred H 7|d, 399 do 7id, 59 longwood H 7Jd, UG ao 7i<i, 5 1 crossbred 7jd, 11 Lincoln 7d, Only average wools. Keep up condition, bived, and quality. Gsavas over shield : Greasy— 4o crossbrtd 7|d, 78 do 7d. - WHT : Greasv-6 first-Sid, 9 second Bd,- 30 firsthalf bred 10d, 7 do 9Jd, 22 second half bred 10d, 7 do H 9Jd. 16 do 9d, 14 do 8R 11 A halfbied 9d, 17 B do Bid, 9 C do 8d; 17 halfbred 7|d, SO do 7d, 32 ! first crossbred BJd, 6 second do Bd, 44 do 7Jd. 56 j crossbred 7d, 11 do 7Jd, 9 half bred pieces Bd, 6 do I 6fd, sdo 7d, and a few withdrawn lots. Here was i a very good-grown, light-conditioned wuol, and sold well. PIPI : Grea>y-4 half bred B£d. 45 three-quarter-bred Bd, 38 Liricoln 7id, 12 crossbred 7Jd, l&dq pieces 6Jd, Bdo 6id, 4do s|d Good average , all round. Glen Mosa : Greasy — 23 first crossbred -7Jd, 60 second do 7d, 8 longwool 7d, It) : crossb-ed 6fd, 7 do pieces sd, 6 do bellies 4ii, 3 do locks 3Jd, 7do lambs 7d. Heavy and wasty. Improve quality a* well. See next clip. WLA ,in diamond : Greasy — 23 first threequarter bred combing 9Jdi 33 second do 9d, 6 do S£d, 21 I . crossbred Bd, 61 do 7^d, 15 Lincoln 7Jd, 7 do 7i^, : 123'crossbied, pieces withdrawn, 23 do 6d This ' was a. very good light shrinkage clip, and showed ' first-claEs' quality. "- j in connection with the home wool centre denotes pressure of one kind or another. Bafc unfortunately this feeling of pressure does ' not' relate to any increase in business arising from any push 'in orders that nten may have and over which there is weight being br6ughb to bear on men to make delivery ; but the pressure is only apparent on questions effecting j prices for all wool commodities, and here there is a desperate struggle proceeding. The evidence of London tales just finished means practically speskisg advance, but Bradford says in effect stand still. Men are finding it impossible in this market to-day to sell at any profit at all ; in fact, the further one gets away frero tbe raw material the more unsatisfactory are the transactions, and men are now finding it impossible to obtain anything like a proportionate advance for any class of manufacture, be they tops, yarns, or piece goads, as compared to the increased cost of the raw material. Tnis "unmanagcableness" of both spinners and manufacturers, who are to-day showing a stolid stupidity B gainst all entreaties of the top- | maker for £d more is the one characteristic j element of the Bradford market. The Biggest j buyers who. m&de contracts in January are now pressing for .delivery, saying, in effect, it is j no nee getting more until their available stocks j are exhausted. The topmaker, on the other j hand, who is feeling free, thinks be must h»vo ; an advance, and so the battle is at the gate, and , a practical deadlock ensues. The manufacturing situation shows as jet no expansion, and while consumption remains so restricted things must remain difficult to do. Things are bo -' worse iu~ meTieos, but there "comes along with "*■ item no' encouragement, every thing being of a hand-to- month character. •Colonial crossbrefls wee steady, but quiet. In English wools there has lately been more changing hands of the ,|^incoln and Irish grades, more »t present being 'used for the dress goods tr*de. So far as ** spinners are reoneerntd, there is as yet no' - material, evidence of' much improvement, but •what.frames are .going are beir g run fuJl time. jThe adverse political events are c^v^ng a most . depressißg'-rfFect upon the piece trade, especially in foreign shippers' bands, but the home trade is creeping up nicely and more is doing.