THE WOOL SALES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2400, 1 March 1900, Page 16

THE WOOL SALES.

The fourth and last wool sale of 'the season took place in the 'Victoria Hall on Thursday afternoon. The total number of bales catalogued by the various brokers was 2106, as against 2605 for the corresponding sale of last year. The following is a list of the catalogues submitted: — Bales. Wright, Stephenson, and Co 604 Dalgety and Co. (Limited) 371 N.Z. L. and M.A. Co. (Limited) .. .. 340 Donald Reid, and Co 240 Otngo Farmers' Co-operative Association (Limited) 186 Farmers' Agency Company (Limited) .. 159 Stfonach Bros, and Morris 98 A Moritzson and Co. .. 65 Maclean and Co. .. .. 43 2106 There was a good attendance of buyers, and afc tirnea the bidding was as keen as could be desired. -

The appended individual reports from the broker's -will show how prices ranged for the various of wools.

Messrs Wright, Steplienson, and Co. report: Only 2106 bales were put forward for the fourth sale held on Thursday, this quantity being ; below that generally oifered at this series. Of the above number, oiir catalogue comprised 604 ; bales, the bulk of which consisted of late shorn and shabby wool, showing a considerable quan- | tity of seed. There was a very good attendance !of buyers, and bidding was "brisker than i at any of the previous auctions. Prices for I fine wools -(merinos and halfbrede) show a de- ! cline of £d to Id, while the ooarser wools sold | at fully up to, and in some cases at an advance on, prices ruling at last sale. Pieces and locks were eagerly competed for, and were from l& to Id per lb dearer. The following are prices current: — Merinos — Super, 13Jd to 12d; good, to lOid; medium, lOd to 9d ; inferior, BJd to 7£d. Halfbreds— Super, 12£ dto ' 10|,d'; good, lOd to 9Jd ; medium, BJd to lid. ; inferior, 7d to 6d. Crossbreds — Super, 9d to BJd ; good. 8d to 7|d; medium, 7d to 6Jd; inferior, 6.^1 to 5Jd. Three-quarterbred longwools — Super, 7Jsd to 7d ; good, 6|d 4o 6Jd ; medium, 6d to 'o|d ; inferior, 5Jd to 4Jd. Pieces and bellies— Super, did to 7d ; good, 6Jd to 6d ; medium, s|d to sd ; inferior, 4|d to 3|d. Locks— Super, 5d to 4£d; good, 4d to 3Jd; medium, 3d to 2Jd: inferior, 2d to Id. •

Messrs Dalgety and Co. (Limited) report: — We held our fourth and last sale of the season on Thursday, when we brought forward a catalogue of 371 bales, of which we sold 245 bales, which, with 211 bales sold privately since our last sale, makes our total sold since last auction 456 bales; while our offerings and sales for the season are 4834 bales and 4462 bales respectively, as compared, with 4285 bales and 3639 bales respectively for last season, showing an increase in our sales of 823 bales. The catalogues on Thursday were chiefly composed of late-shorn clips and oddments; nevertheless, there was a fair attendance of English, northern, and local buyers, and good competition at equal to last sale's rates, with the exception of merino wools, which show a slight decline in value. All the other New -Zealand markets have shown a considerable fall since our last sale, but the strong local competition has caused prices to be, on the whole, well maintained in this centre. The London market is at present in a weak and somewhat wavering state, while the Bradford and Continental top markets have shown a very serious fall during the last month, and growers who have accepted the " bird in the hand " and realised in colonial markets are to be congratulated, as the bulk of the wool sold here has been disposed of at considerably above present London parity. The following are some of the prices realised: — MA conjoined, 2 bales crossbred 7M; HK conjoined, 1 crossbred hoecret 10£ d;

38, 6do 7-id; MD, 18 crossbred 7f d ; UU reversed, 1 bis sd ; WH over WH, 3 crossbred ewe, BcV; Chatto Creek over KB, 18 halfbred "ewe Bjd; Mt. Pisa clips at a satisfactory price.

Messrs Donald Reid and Co. report as follows : — We held our fourth sale of the season's series at the Agricultural Hall, Dunedin, on Thursday, Febiuary 22, 190*0, when we submitted a small 'catalogue, comprising 240 bales wool, chiefly late shearings and lots passed in at previous sales. The total number of bales submitted at this series by the various brokers was 2106. There was again a very full attendance of buyers, considering the small catalogues to be submitted. The average character of the wool offered at this sale was not up to the standard of our earlier sales, being late shorn, sandy, and seedy, .and the 1 several held-over lots did not present- so fresh or attractive an appearance as they did when first opened out. The bidding at the sale was very erratic. In some cases prices realised were in excess of those at which the same lots were passed in at our last sale, while in other cases the prices realised were below those which could have been obtained at the earlier sales. On the whole, however, there was very cheerful competition up to buyers' limits for all lots ; while for all the finer sorts of wools, passed in at our previous sales, and for all newly-opened wools suitable for the use of our local manufacturers, there was very spirited competition, and satisfactory prices realised. With the exception of some -10 bales, which did not realise valuations, v/e cleared our catalogue at the following range of values : — Greasy merino — Medium, lOd to ajd; inferior, 9d to B£d. Greasy halfbred — Crood, lid to lOd ; medium, 9Jd to 8d ; inferior, 7|d to 7d. Greasy crossbred — Good, Bid to 7£d; medium, 7£d to 6?, d; inferior, 6£d to s£d. • Greasy pieces and bellies — Good, 7Jd to 6id; medium, 6d to 5Jd; interior, 5d to 4d. A few well-known brands realised highest prices: — JI, 2 bales greasy halfbred lid ; H over N,~2 halfbred and merino 10£ d; inverted T over T, 2 merino lOd; WJ, 1 halfbred lOd; FI, 1 merino 9Jd; diamond in circle, 7 do 9£d ; HR ' conjoined over sheep shears, 8 halfbred 9£d; Co, 2 merino 9d; WC over B, 1 halfbred 9d; FI, 2 do 9d.

The Farmers' Agency Company report having • held their fourth and last wool sale of the season, on Thursday, when they offered a catalogue of about 200 bales, the bulk of the offerings consisting of passed lots from previous sales, with a few late shorn clips and oddments. The quality of the wools generally was not equal to that offered at the previous sales, the most of the late-shorn clips being rather earthy and seedy. The bidding was most irregular "and difficult to account for, for although the market was weaker, in some cases lots passed from the last sale sold at advanced prices, while in others the reverse was the case. They sold greasy merino (medium) to 9|d, halfbred to 9gd, crossbred to B|d, greasy pieces to sfd.

Messrs Stronach Bros, and Morris report having held their fourth sale of the season at the Agricultural Hall, on Thursday, 22nd February. Catalogues were small, the number of bales offered altogether being 2500, made up chiefly of stragglers' and late-shorn wools, and including a few lots passed in at last auctions on 2nd inst. There was a good attendance of buyers, who evinced a deal more concern to secure suitable lots than at last series. From the class of wools submitted it is somewhat difficult to make a comparison of values, but it is safe to say there was an improvement in those obtained for pieces and Jocks, while coarse wools, if in nice condition, attracted, more attention. On the other hand, fine wools and merinos were rather easier, and may be quoted id -per lb lower. Our catalogue consisted of 100 bales, which, with the exception of some few 'lots reserved at high figures, we sold at satisfactory prices. During the day merinos made lljjd, halfbreds lid, crossbreds 9d, pieces BJd.

Messrs A. Moritzson and Co. report having held their fourth sale of the season in the Agricultural Hall yesterday. There was a large attendance of buyers present, though one or two of the outside ones were absent. Our catalogue was made up principally of heavy and earthy wools, but notwithstanding this competition was keener than at the previous sales, and we cleared the lot at satisfactory prices. The local woollen factories bought the bulk of the fine wools offered. Fellrnongers competed very keenly for all locks and pieces, and for these prices showed a slight advance. Messrs Maclean and Co. report : — We held our fourth sale of the season at the Agricultural Hall on Thrarsday, when we offered a small catalogue. The trade was well represented, and bidding slightly brisker than at last sale. The wool onered was of poor quality generally, being made up of stragglers and oddments, and, under these conditions, prices realised were satisfactory. We had nothing good in. greasy wool, 7Jd for crossbred and 93>d for halfbred being highest bids. In scoured wool we got 15d, 16gd, 17id, and 21£ d.