AUCKLAND WOOL SALES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 40

AUCKLAND WOOL SALES.

FURTHER DROP IN PRICE." (Pbb Ukited Pbiss Association.) AUCKLAND, January 14. There was no animation at all at the wool sales to-day. Buyers were nonchalant, and lots osf wool was not even looked at. Competition was dead, and it frequently happened that only a single bid was offeredl. Crossbred sold as low as 4fd. Merinos were well within the rang© of 8d and 8&d, and one of the top prices of the sale, was- 92<1 for eight very fine bales of longwaol purchased by the Onehunga Woollen Mills. The reason of the big decrease -in this season's prices as compared with last may_ be found in the fact that this year America is not buying. At the 1907 sa".e an American buyer was 'present, and there was keen competition for all bright, showy wools, which ran up to Is per lb. To-day .wool of a similar nature -which last yeaT was worth a shilling sold a 6 TJd. A record number of bales was catalogued, the total offering being 5055 bales—* an increase of 2208 over the amount offered at the January sales last year. The dxop x in prices experienced by Messrs Alfred Buck* land and Sons, who sold first, ranged from Id to 2d per lb on the rates which ruled at the November sale. The greater portion ol the wool on offer was passed in. - The only! line for which there was better compettiiort was in bellies and pieces, which realised! nearly as much as crossbred wool. The best price realised by this firm was 9fd, for five bales of fino halfbred, an account of M* Foster, of Waimuku. Waikino .wool did no* meet with keen competition, and BJd was the beat price offered, at which figure the lot was 'passed in. Lambswaol met with very fair competition, and sold at from 6jcl to 7£d. Crossbred was not in strong dedemiand at 6§d to BJd, and large quantities were passed in, having failed to reach the owners' reserve. Mr Smith, of Matahoru, received B&cT for his Shropshire clip, being the beat price realised for this class of wool. Lincolns- met with poor inquiry at 6Jd. Stained and cotty wool sold from 5d to 6d, and bellies and pieces reached s£d. The .New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company followed with 2321 bales. The bulk consisted of crossbreds, the Kighesfl price realised being 9Jd, Jot a lot 'sold ori account of Mr W. G. Bi.ton, of Kaipara, and the next was 9£d, for a line of 13 bales sold for Mr W. C. Mountain, of Russell. Messrs G. W. Binney and Sons secured 9Jd for « line of four bales of fine Southdown "wool* and received the highest offer of the day— • lOJd, for a choice line of halfbred wool.