WELLINGTON SALES. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2856, 9 December 1908, Page 22

WELLINGTON SALES. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

AVELLTXGTOX, December +. The mo^t conspituous feature of the wool

eales ■which opened ** tie Town Hall io^ -" day was the strong American competition for the finest lines of crossbreKk. The quantities offered by the brokers amounted to 7603 bales, or 600 -bales more -than at the corresponding sale ctf -last year. At the first sale, held on the 13th November, 1386 bales only were offered, which was the lowest quantity for the November sales for the previous three years. Prices -at last sales went up to €d for crossbreds in one instance only (cays the Post), but orossbreds that ■ then ranged from 7d to &d, changed than3s at from lOd to lljkl to-day. The -prices were more or less on a par with -those oKtwo years ago, when at -the first sale 9&d to 10£ d was paid for superfine crossbreds that went for irom 7^d to 8d at the <first sale of November of this year. Buyers were present in full force, representing Bradford, Huddemfield, German, French, .Belgium, Australasian, and American houses, aleo representatives from .New Zealand mills. lor -wools suitable for local requirements oompetiton -was keen from the very start, the Americans going for the top qualities, favouring crossbreds, and especially -those -that wece _weli prepared. While . there might be side by side two clips of identicaly the same quality, yet -that which -was prd^sriy - skirted -and weH-got-up generally fetched, from lOd to lid, while the othei's not ; «o well classed would reafee . 7jd to 73d- , DPhe reason for the difference was that in the case of Americans 5d per lb couW .not be paid for dirt, the-duty having to be paid. up on the -weight ! of the wool. _ )

Messrs Dalgety and .Co. (Limited) report having received the following cable -from the head office dated London, December 1 : —"'The wool sales continue firm, and •prices -are rather higher, especially for good combing wools, for which thete is special disposition to buy. American buyers are operating freely in greasy wools suitable for America.'

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company is in .receipt of the iollowing cable advice from their London office regarding ~tihe sixth iSeries of wool sales: — "As compared with last sale's closing rates, prices are about 7£ per cent to 10 per cent, higher / for dme crossbred and merino, about 15 per cent, higher for medium greasy crossbred and coarse greasy crossbred, ,about 10 per cent, to 15 per cent, higher for greasy crossbred lambs and crossbred alipe. America competing very keenly." The National' Mortgage and Agency Company of New Zealand is in receipt of the following cablegram from its London office, datfed December 3 : — " The ' wool sates for merinos, and crossbreds generally are .proceeding with great spirit. Biddings are' keen, also the competition between buyers. For best greasy merinos" tyitd crosshreda generally there is«. hardening .tendency in the market, And prices have gone up quite JLper cent,, since the opening of tihe eales. American buyers are operating free)y."