LONDON WOOL SALES

Otago Witness, Issue 2714, 21 March 1906, Page 6

LONDON WOOL SALES-

(From Our Special Cobbespondent.) LONDON, February 2. •i SPLENDID FINISH TO A RECORD r SERIES. The first series of colonial wool sales for the current year came to a finifih last night in a magnificent way, and as buyers left for home, without a. single exception all felt that a record time had been passed ihrough. Values are certainly not so high 'as they were in December, 1899, but tie inherent strength of the situation is much sounder than it was then, and the uppermost feeling running through the trade is one of great confidence in the future course of values. Prices throughout are, perhaps, no higher than they were in December, tut wool has been taken with very great freedom, and competition has _ been 6uch that no man could tamper with any lot of wool. Notwithstanding the great financial pressure which the trade is at the moment being jjufc to, every description of wool has sold remarkably well', and the >itiiation is stronger to-day than when th& began. The buying has not been done by simply one section, of the trade, but both Home and foreign buyers have Donipeted with great freedom, and kept it up to the finish. America has not been a heavy buyer, but some good eupport has been forthcoming for both merinos and crossbreds, and thia has helped the light€6ttonditioned paroels considerably. Notwith>tanding the prospect of increased supplies, prices have moved throughout on the highest level, and it is a, good augury for the future when the trade remains unla.tisfited. as it is to-day. Yorkshire buyers have not bought to freely in the. colonies &s their Continental competitors, and being compelled to go to Coleman street simply means that the succeeding serke will &*>« an important section of the trade still hungry for the raw material. Wool bought jthis series on Home trade account has Leen gent to manufacturing districts with all possible speed, clearly proving that the wool as wanted. Everything points to a goodMarch series, and that will be the testing time for coarse and medium crossbrede. The comparatively small offerings of crossbreds has meant a centreing of undivided interest, and this has undoubtedly been of special Denefit to good 40"s wools. Fine •quality crcesbreds have received some valuable support 'from America., and these hay© been remarkable for extreme firmness of values and good buying, and this should continue in the r.-ear future. * CHANGES OF THE SERIES. Compared with the closing rates of the previous series, the following changes aie to be noted : — AOSTBALASIAN WOOLS. Jlerinogi ease— super par to *d dearer „ „ average to g00d... par v „ „ infer, pieces ... par to Jd „ „ sconred super par „ „ average to g00d... par „ „ inferior par to id cheaper „ „ faulty pcs<fclckß par to id „ „ greasy lambs wool super pat „ „ „ medium par „ „ „ inferior par £rossl>red creasy fine par „ „ medium ... par „ „ inferior pieces id j „ „ lambj' par „ scoured line par „ . „ coarse partojd „ „ sliped fine par „ „ coarse par to Jd n South African Wools. Snow-white super par „ medium par „ inferior par Heece-wished Western ... par „ East era par Grease, light condition par to id dearer „ wasting par to Art cheaper Messre Charles Balme and Co., in writing •f the future, tay :—" Prospects for both merino and crossbred wools appear Jjivourable. Complaints are rife among spinners and manufacturers that the present level of values is too high to admit of their carryling on a profitable business, but stocks everywhere are ao light and the direct importations, which are now arriving in large quantities, *are being so readily absorbed by actual consumers that there seems every likelihood of a maintenance of current quotations, in spite of the increase in the season's production." Sold by Messr3 Dv Croz Doxat, and Co., January 24 — Teviotdale: Greasy — 42 bales half bred super combing A 15d, 56 do 14|d, 8 first do 12Ad, 15 second do 13Jd, 2 do damaged 121 d, 16 nalbred first pieces lljd, 2 second ao 7d, 8 do bellies lOJd, 3 do locks sd. These were all right enough, the wools being up to the mark in every respect. BH : Greasy — 13 crossbred first combing 12} d, 34 do 12d, 8 do Hid, 14 second do 12d, 34 do lljd, 52 do lid, 16 third do 12d, 37 -do lid, 103 do lOJd, 11 do lOJd, 4 first pieces 9*d, 11 do BJd. 22 do bellies Bid, 4 do locks 6Jd, 10 first lambs HJd. Very well grown, being sound, good length, and very useful. Sold by Messrs John Hoare and Co., same day.— T in star: Greasy— 6 bales AA crossberd combing 12W, 7 A do 12d, 3 B do IHd, 8 C do 12d, 14 do ll£d, 3 do lid, 6 D do ljd, 37 do lid, 11 do 10id, 6 do 10|d, 7 first pieces 9Jd, 7 B do Bid, 4 scoured first pieces 12d, 2 do locks lOd. Bradford buyers were in their glory as they competed for this clip, both quality and condition being very good. Sold by Messrs H. Schwartze and Co., January 25. — A over Akitio: Greasy — 16 bales lialfbred 14Jd, 14 do 14d, 23 three-quarterbred first 14d, 19 do 13jd, 16 do second 13Jd, 24 do 13d, 24 first Lincoln 13d, 26 do 12d, 18 second do 12d, 24 do ll|d, 33 crossbred lljd. 7 do first pieces lid, 5 second do lOd, 15 do bellies 9Jd. A very good clip, and oh« showing high-class characteristics throughout. Sold by Messrs Buxton, Eonald, and Co., January 26.— -Centrewood : Greasy— s bales AA halfbred 13d, 8 A do 13d, 6 do 18d, 14 do 12Jd, 25 A three-quarterbred 12d, 17 do 12d, E A crossbred ll£d, 8 do lOJd, 7 do lid, 24 do lOSd, 4 do lOd, 7 three-quarterbred pieces BJd, 5 do bellies 9d, 2 crossbred pieces BJd, 5 do 7d. "Very good, being sound, fairly light, Bhafty, and in nice condition. Tautane: Greasy— s Al crossbred H 14d, 74 do 13id, fdo 13d, 3 do 12d, 21 B do 13d, 74 do 12d, do lid, 6 F do 12d, 23 C do lljd, 12 D do lljd, 5 E do lid, 11 do necks lljd, 33 do pieces 10d, 7 second do 9d, 21 do bellies 9d, SO A do lambs 12id- £ second do lid. Aa

excellent lot of wool, buyers competing for it in fine style. ' Sold by Messrs Thomas and Cook, January 30. — Eangitata* Greasy— 3 first combing 12d, 3 clothing 12cl, 3 comeback 12£ d, 24 first halfbred 14Jd, 21 do 14d, 4 do lUd, 7 do pieces lljd, 4 do bellies 9Jd. Good useful stuff, being light, well grown, and most attractive lots. Waihi over NZ. Scoured — 4 first combing 23d, 3 second pieces 19d, 3 locks 16d, 3 first halfbred pieces 18id, 5 three-quarterbred do 15Jd, 8 crossbred do 14|d, 7 second do 13d, 2 S do lOJd, 2 crossbred locks lOd. Scoured in a first-class way, everybody being well pleased with the wools. Sold most readily. Sold by Messrs H. P. Hughes and Sons, same day. — LI in diamond. Scoured — 2 bales combing 18d, 7 first halfbred 191 d, 3 second do 19£ d, 9 do 18£ d, 5 first crossbred 18d, 16 do 17d, 5 first do 17Jd, 4 three-quarterbred 16d, 4 second crossbred 15Jd, 3 three-quarter-bred 13} d, 4 crossbred lljd, 3 do 13|d, 9 do backs 15id, 2 first do pieces 16d, 5 second do 16d, 3 B three-quarterbred 161 d, 5 do locks 13|d, 3 greasy first combing lljd, 4 do clothing lid. These were a useful lot, and showed good quality and good character throughout. Brookdale: Greasy— i AA halfbred combing 15d, 8 first do -14|d, 10 A do 14d, 5 B do 13d. 5 first crossbred 12d, 5 do Leicester lljd, 9 hlafbred pieces Hid, 2 Leiester do lOd. One of N«w Zealand's first clips. Up to the mark in every respect. Increase the quantity. MONTHLY PRICE LIST. The situation is very interesting because of the extreme firmness of values. Everyone feels thai prices are the turn dearer, and if higher quotations have not actually been, made the tendency is distinctly upwards, and the inability to buy wool anywhere on a, cheaper basis is causing topjnaters to assume the defensive. is a "capper," and it is hard to believe in many cases how wool sells. Users in Bradford see no chance of cheaper merinos, though the feeling is less confident over coarse croesbreds. However, the situation is extremly firm, tops are being delivered freely, and consumption is -well maintained. The following table shows the course of prices during the past month : —

iri Oi ni Description. o j d. 13i 12i 12J 12 i 12J 12 13 121 133 131 13 124 131 131 14 14 131 12J i) 8 151 16* 27 £6 25 20J 171 J6J 15 14 a a. m 12J 12£ 12 124 12 13 m m 13 m i 124 ! 13| Mi Mi W 1' 15*. IBJ 27 S6 25 20 J. 17J 1« 151 14* .a d. 131 12* 12* 12 125 w I2h 13! J3i 13 12* 12*. 14 131 HJ 14* m 13 9i 8 15J IS* 27' 26 25* 21 171 16 m Lincoln bogs Lincoln wethers Deep-Riown boss Deep grown wethers White super hogs White super wethers Irish hogs -#••• Irish wethers ... Shropshire boss Shropshire wtthers Halfbved hogs Halfbred wethers Kent wethers, Beat hegs Yorkshire bogs Wiltshire Down tegs Wiltshire Down ewes Super Stafford hogj Super Stafford wethers Devon wo*>l greasy Scotch tilackface Turkey average mohair Cape firsts mohair 70'?, colonial tops 6-J'g, colonial tops Super GO'S, colonial tops s(*'s, colonial tops 4ti'«, colonial tops 40's, colonial tops ... ... .., 36's, colonial tops *. 32's, colonial tops