THE WOOL SALES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2913, 12 January 1910, Page 22

THE WOOL SALES.

AUCKLAND, January 10. The second wool sale of the season takes place on Wednesday, when 6378 bales of wool wiill be 'submitted a* auction. Most of the lots coining forward are back-country consignments, and the quality is not so good as the general average of the November offerings. The majority of the farmers in and around the Hauraki Gulf disposed of their clips at the first sale, and'very little, if any, was passed 'in. The January sale is usually the occasion for a big offering of back-country wool, and this year is no execution to the rule NAPIER. January 6. The third_ Napier wool sale of the season 1 wa.s held this afternoon and evening, when a total of 21,000 bales was offered°bv the associated brokers, which. 'ls easily a record offering for this centre. There" was a bigger attendance of buyers than usual', all sections of trade being represented. rue wool generally was well grown, but considerably heavier in grease as compared with previous sales, and there was an absence of light conditioned and superior quality clips suitable for America. A few of the dine, owjpg to coodiUow*

prolonging shearing, were caught by bid-a-bids, and this considerably detracted from the value of such wools. A larger proportion than usual of cotted fleeces was also in evidence, this being generally ascribed to the wet weather experienced throughout the province. A fair quantity of lambs' wool came forward, and was genei'aiUy of good quality, although eeed was again responsible for a lowering in values in eome lots. Competition was exceedingly keen from all quarters. One of the features of the sale was the excellent competition for limbs' wool and pieces of various qualities, the Continent taking nearly all this class of wool. The few lots of light conditioned wool suitable for America were readily taken up at prices on a par with previous sales. Some medium crossbreds did not maintain late tallies. Strong crossbreds, including logstained, met with an excellent demand, and on an average were slightly higher than &t iast sale. January 7. The wool sale was concluded this morning, and considering that the offerings were not as good in quality as those submitted in December, and that the wool was in a heavier condition, the prices are generally regarded as satisfactory. Comparatively few lots were passed in. Coarser qualities of wool sold remarkably well, and advanced from 3d to £d per lb, while medium qualities were sold on a par to gd under last sales. The great feature of the sale was the strong demand for lambs' wool, also for good qualities of pieces and locks for the Continent, and high prices were realised in consequence. A line of super halfbred lambs' wool from Mr John A. MacFarlans's Ben Lomond station realised 14 3 d, and a line of halfbred fleece wool grown by Mr Lachlan M'L-ean, of Glencoe station, Maraekakaho, fetched 14|d. Messrs Palgety and Co. report having 1 received the following cablegram from their head office, dated London, January 7: " Wool very firm. Merinos and fine crossbred : Expect present prices to be maintained at next sales. Crossbred wools (medium and ' coarse quality): Expect that prices will rule 5 to 7£ ner cent, higher as compared with last sales' closing rates." Shearing on Sundays. TO THE EDITOR. Ste, —In your issue of December 29, in the Wellington Agricultural Notes, you have an article dealing with "Shearing on Sunday," in which the writer eays "that in every case when work has born, done on Sunday chat has oomo under his personal knowledge, it has been the shearers who have asked to be allowed to work, j and that they (the shearers) _ consider that; there is nothing improper in so doing." Lower down the article the writer says: "Should shearing on Sunday become a common custom, no doubt the law against same will be enforced," etc., etc. Now, Sir, I am a shearer of many years' experience in both Australia and New Zealand, and at the present time am representing a number of men of a like description, and I wish to protest against this libel of men who, although scattered in different parts of Australia and New Zealand, have always fought against such customs as you describe. We, as an organised bodv, protest against doing any work on Sunday, and are trying, and have tried for years, to have a hfclf day on Saturday in order to repair our tools, do our washing, and mend our clothes instead of, as at present, ceasing work at 4 p.m. on Saturdav, unless we have 4-8 hours in by 12 o'clock (a most unusual circumstance in New Zealand). In Australia the Arbitration Court provides for a cessation of work at, 12 noon on Saturdays, or a.s soon before that time as 48 hours are worked, and the men religiously grind their ehpc.rs. etc., on Saturday in order to keep Sunday as it should be—viz., a day of rest. Under exceptional circumstances I think that any humane man should shear on Sunday, and cite the followine - case:—A wruattfir brings his ewes and lambs down from the hills in .1 dry season, such as the present one is. After having the sKceo and lambs nenned up and knocked aVmt for several days, the ewes lose their milk, and the lambs receive no nourishrrMwtt, are separated from their mothers, .ird consequently die in large numbers. The remainder continue to puffer untold hardships until the - "" are returned +o their ■ -stive pastures, which mnst be done in ? flock, as it 13 very difficult to mother th n lambs.

Tf you or TCiir po''resr>on<r!ipnt <waM w* shfiorj under the condition"! T depict I feel »irr£ fhat von wontd excuse anv man for '-vvAnVinnr the Sabbath bv shearing tbwn; Hn 1- T nan assure von that afte" the ahwer ~° c in the sh*d from ri a.m. to fi n.m. 'n n close. I'oisonoi" etrrM>srtl'>ere, w'tb hack stooged ov* shr-op for lev intervals. he looks forwwd to Swiday with as much fervour a= the rno=t rejitrjoais. ■Arooiv IS C'Ttierienioed' men r-*>re T onlv wl>o K<>=< evei focuid it necessary to sbes.r on. iSimdnv Hrmini? febot von wfll trv and rrvt-vpot th* ■wroncr imp>«iomn that your article is bound to make.—l a.m, etc.,

S. FrvUHES. Hawken Station, St. Pa.thans, January 3.

THE H n \ nr,v.riTf \ m. WELLINGTON,' January 10. The Commissioner cabled under 'date London, Bth January: Theire has been a better tone in the mutton market this week, the stock on hand being- reduced. Average price: Canterbury mutton, (supply practically exhausted); North Island. 3ld. Lamb. —Market quiei. The stock of New Zealand lamb is small, many stale carcases being placed on the market. Prices range from Hd to 3£d. Beef. —The market is weak, with little demand. New Zealand hindquarters average 3sd; forequarters, 2|d. There is better demand for butter, and the market is firm, with a hardening tendency. Holders are less anxious to sell The shipment of butter and clieese per s.'s. Rimutaka arrived in good condition. New Zealand butter is giving satisfaction to buyers. The average price of choicest Now Zealand is 112 s; Australian. Argentine, and Siberian, 108 s; Danish, 1225. There is a better demand for cheese, and! the market is firmer. New Zealand cheese

I is giving satisfaction to buyers. Average prices: Finest white, 565; coloured, 555. Hemp.—The market is quiet, with nothing doing. Quotations are nominal. New Zealand good fair grade, on spot, £2B; fair, £27; Manila fair, current, £26 10s: Januar3 r -March shipments, good fair, £27; fair, £26; Manila, £25 10s. The stock of New Zealand hemp on hand is 157 ■bales. The Manila output during the last two weeks, was 33,000 bales. The wool market is firm, and prices continue to advance. Prospects are favourable. Current Bradford quotations for tops, 36's, low crossbreds, 13|d per lb; 40's, 15d; 44's, medium crossbreds, 164 d; 50's, halfbreds, 20^d; 56's, quarter-brede, 23d; 60's, merino, 26d. DUNEDIN MARKETS. WHOLESALE PRODUCE REPORTS. Mr J. Fleming, Princes street south, reports under date the 11th inst.: Wheat per bushel, i per ton Best milling 4/5-4A> \ Oatmeal, in 25's 210/0 Medium do ... 4/1 I Oaten ciiatf 60/0—65/0 Fowls' ... S/lO—4/0 I Ryegrass hay 52/fS-CiW Milling oats ... 1/10 I Straw ...27/tsto ?5/0 Feed oats 1/9 I Pearl barley .. 310,6 Malt barley ... 3/0 cwt Feed barley 2/o—2/3 Onions, good 8/0 -9/0 Cape barley ... 3/15 par lb. Maize iH> Rolled bacon ... SJ-d per ton. Side bacon ... SJd Flour, in 200's ... 215,0 Smoked hams ... 91 Flour, in 50's ... 2:'.0/0 Cheese ... b\i—6£d Poilard 80/0 Good salt butter, 9d 10 Bran 65/0 ICd, according to Quality Good potatoes (old), £1 5s to £2 10s per ton. Now local potatoes arriving in small quantities. New potatoes, 7s to 8s per cwt. FARM AND DAIRY PRODUCE. Messrs Irvine and Stevenson, George street, report paying for produce during the weei ending the 11th inst. as follows'. — Bacon (roll), 8d per lb I Fre.sn outter, Sd to Ham, Sd per lb 9d per lb Fresh rggs. lljd drz I Salt butter : not buyir.g Fresh butter, sood ordinary (in lib and Alb prints), 8d to lOd per lb. Pigs, 130 lb to 1601 b, 3id. Honey 3Ad. Fowls, 3s to 3s 6d (boiling;. FROZEN MEAT MARKET. NAPIER, January 6. The C.C. and D. Company to-day cabled the following report of the frozen meat market:—" Prices for the new season's mutton and lamb arc slightly firmer, but those for beef fores have declined by isd. To-day's quotations: Mutton—Napier, Wellington, and North Island, 3|d; lamb —first quality 4?d, second quality 3|d; beef —hinds 3d, fores 2id." CHEISTCHURCH MARKETS. CHRISTCHURCH, January 5. During the last two weeks, owing to the Christmas and New Year holidays, practically no business has passed in grain. Nearly all the establishments were closed during the greater part of the time. Business was only resumed yesterday, and so far little has been done in sales. Offerings f;rom farmers continue very restricted, and, generally speaking, the prices offered by merchants are too low- to tempt holders. For wheat merchants are willing to give from 4s to 4s Id on trucks at country stations, but these prices are not sufficiently tempting to induce holders | to sell. It is now recognised that the i amount of wheait still in the hands of j growers is very small, although a few j fairly large lines were placed on offer during the week by farmers. The coming season's crop is reported to be very nromising, and, given favourable weather from* now onwards, the return, should be much more favourable than last yeaa - , while there is very reason to anticipate that prizes j will be satisfactory. As with wheat, oats aro in limited supply, prices being from Is 7d to Is Bd, but in most cases holders are unwilling to take these prices. Already a few samples of the new season's crop have been placed' on the market, and during the current week a number of machines will b» at work in various parts of Canterbury. The_ oats already threshed are reported to be lighter than was anticipated, this being due mainly to seveal excessively hot days experienced during the last few weeks. It is expected that during the coming week considerable quantities of new season's cats will be on offer, but so far offerings have been curtailed on account of a shortage of sacks, many farmers having neglected to give their orders early, anticinating that the harvest would be considerably later. A great part cf the barley crop has now been cut. and is at present standing in stook. The quality is reported satisfactory. The potato market is very ouiet, the now season's crop, except in retail quantities, not having yet come on the market. So fpir there have been few complaint? of blight., and the crops in most localities are looking very promising. OAMARU MARKETS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) OAMARU, January 10. The holidays over, merchants have returned to their stores and offices, and there is an appearance of work, but being between the seasons, business is at a standstill, with the exception that an occasional line of fowl wheat ex store is being dealt ' with. There has during the week been - good inquiry for milling velvet and good red chaff, but this class of wheat is not , procurable in the distinct. Some lines of j solid straw wheat were offering from j South Canterbury, but the quality was not ; tempting, and prices were higher than ' buyers considered value. Oats are slightly easier. Inquiries are j in perfect sympathy with the amount offer- j ing, there being very little of either, and ' it is not exjpected that the condition will impi'ove untl after the harvest. The only requirements that receive consideration in the meantime are those of farmers. As regards potatoes, it is too early yet for shipping, and the tubers are only i being dealt with in small quantities. Blight has not vet made its appearance to such an extent as to cause concern, so that the prospects for the potato market can he considered good. GRAIN AND PRODUCE SALES. Messrs Donald Reid and Co. report: —Wo held our weekly auction sale of grain and produce at our stores on Monday. There was a small attendance of buyers to whom we submitted a moderate catalogue of grain and produce. Prices for most of the lines on offer were well maintained. Values ruled as under: —■ Oats. —Only a very limited business is being done, being confined chiefly to email I

lots for local use. A grad-s Gartons have some attention from shippers, but there are few lots of this class offering. For other sorts better prices are obtainable for local .use than can be got for shipment. We quote : Prime milling', Is 9d to is lOd ; good to best feed, Is 7Jd to Is 3d; inferior to medium, Is 5d to Is 6Jkl per bushel (sacks extra). Wheat. —Local stocks are now in small compass, and on this account no volume of business is passing. Millers are ready buyers of prime velvet and red wheat, and in a lesser degree of prime Tuscan. Whole fowlwhe-at is not over plentiful, and meets with ready sale. We quote: Prime milling, 4s to 4s sd; medium to good, 4s 2y\ to 4s 3gd; best whole fowl wheat, 4s to 4s 2d; medium, 3s 6d to 3s lCd; broken and damaged, 2s 9d to 36 3d per bushel (sacks extra).

Potatoes. —Only small consignments are coming forward. At to-day's sale best j lines realised £7 10s to £8 10s per ton ; (sacks included). Chaff.—Prime oaten sheaf is in short supi ply, and has strong inquiry. Medium quality is not so much sought aft3T, while . inferior is still without an3' demand. We quote: Best oaten sheaf, £3 2s 6ct to £3 7s 6d; medium to good, £2 5s to £2 15s; inferior, £1 15s to £2 per ton (sacks extra). HIDE SALES. MELBOURNE, January 6. At the hide sales to-day supplies were moderate, and competition was keen. Prices were verv firm. Messrs Stronach, Morris, and Co. (Ltd) report as follows:—We held our fortnightly sale of hides at our stores on Thursday, when we submitted a catalogue totailing 387. The attendance of buyers was \rather smaller than usual but notwithstanding this we had very keen competition. We had nothing exceptional forward in the way of heavy ox hides, and our top price for these was BA,d paid for one weighing 681 b. It was in medium and light weights that the high prices were paid, mediumweight ox bringing up to 7£d, and lightweights to 7d. In cow hides our top price was .id, paid for both mediums and heavies. We sold in money value ox h-'des to £2 3s lOd, and cow hides to £1 15s. To show the prices ruling at our sale we may mention that out of 90 lots of hides, 52 brought 7d and over. The following are the actual prices paid:—Prime stout heavv ox hides, none forward; good heavy. 7Ad to ogd; medium weight, 6ld to 7Ad; light weight 6 2 d to 7d; staggy and inferior. 4§d to ojd; prime heavy cow hides, 7d to 7M • medium weight, 6|d to Ud ; light weight; gd to 7d; inferior 4id to sd; yearling, 6d to 6fdj calfskins, 3d to 9£d. The National Mortgage and Agency tows.—We held our regular sale of hides on Thursday, the 6th irot., when we offered a medium catalogue. The attendance of buyers was about the average, ard as were intent on doing business a Very satisfactory sale resulted. We cannot' quote any record prices, as the quality of hides ottered by us was medium, but even for such we realised 6d per lb and over for all | with the exception of damaged hides' I Quotations: Ox—Prime, stout heavy, none j offered: good, b}d to 8d; medium, 6ld to aTI l «f bt ' M to 6 ' d 5 and inferior, 4d to 02.0 2 . Cow—Beet heavy, none offered • i medium, 6|d to 6fd; , light, 6d to bidinferior, 4d to sd: yearling, Ud to 6d; ! calfskin, 3d to Bfd. Messrs Da.lgety and Co. report as follows:—We held our fortnigihtly auction sailo of hides at our stores on Thursday. Outr | catalogue consisted mostly of mediumweight ox and cow hides and calfskins, of which we offered several good lines. We cleared our catalogue at prices as under: Ox—Stout heavy, 7|d to 8d ; medium, 6£d to 7£d; light, 6id to 7d. Cow—Heavy, 63d ; to 7^d; light and medium, 6Ad to 7d ; ; inferior ox and cow, 4gd to s|d; yearling, j 6d to b%d : calfskins, 7gd to 91 d. Messrs Donald Reid and Co. report as j follows: —Our fortnightly sale of hides was held ait our stores on Thursday, 6th imst. I The catalogue submitted by us was a large ' one, comprising some 270 hides, yearlings, ' calfskins, and horse hides. There were no extra stout heavy lots on offer, the hulk of the entry being butchers' abattoir consignments of medium-weight and light to ' medium-weight country hides. For these there was a brisk inquiry, while even slightly inferior lots met with strong competition. The heaviest of the hides on, , offer were apparently a shade easier in, : values, but values for medium and light ' wights were fully on a par with last sale quotations. We quote:—-Ox—Good heavy, lid to per lb; medium, 6ld to li ; j light, 6gd to 7d ; etaggy and inferior, 4.fd to 51d. Cow—Prime heavy, 7d to 7id; medium, 6|d to 7^d; light, 6-Axl to 7d; inferior, 2sd to sd; yearlings, 6d to 6|d; calfskins, 3d to 9§d j ' >rse hides, to 10s. Messrs Waters, Ritchie,, arid Co. report as follows: —We held our usual fortnightly sale of hides at our stores, Crawford street, on Friday morning, when we offered a large catailogue, consisting of 1007 hides and 637 yearlings and calfskins —a total of 1644 —to the usual attendance qf buyers. It was considered at our previous sale tha.t the prices then obtained were a record for Dunedin, and it was not anticipated that they wou.ld be maintained. Contrary to expectations, however, the demand' was stronger than ever, with the result that we cleared the whole of our catalogue at prices which showed a.n all-round advance of gd to id per lb. Out of 1007 bales sold no fewer than 866 brought from 7d to 9|d per lb. and in money value 85 realised from £2 to £3 2s 4d each. We realised 9pd for heavyweights, for medium-weighs, and 7-|d for light-weights, securing the latter price for a nice line of 66 cow hides, averaging 451 b. In money value our best return for ox was £3 2s 4d, and for cow £2. The following were some of our best prices:—One at 9Jd, one at Bgd, three at BJd, one at at 3Jjd, 54 at Bd, 105 at, 7Jd, 104 at 7§d, 117 at 7ld, 197 at 7£d, three at 7|d, 120 at 7id, 49 at > 7&d, and 66 at 7d> pea- lb. The following are some of our individual sales:—Ox—One 861 b at 9id, one 721 b at BJd, three 631 b at Bfd, one 611 b at Bid, one 801 bat B|d. seven 721 b at 83d, four 661 b at B|d. 11 671 b at Sgd, one 661 b at BJd. three 711 b at B*d. one 631 b at 8i&; one 681 b at Bid, nine 631 b at Bid, three 641 b at one 601 b at B£d. three 681 b at Bjkl. four 671 b at, Bd, two 651 b at Bd, three 691 b at Bd. seven 581 b at Bd, one 571 b at Bd, 37 621 b at Bd, two 761 b at 7|d. one 641 bat 7Jd, one 651 bat 7gd, eiarht 621 bat 7|d, one -701 bat 7-ld, one 991 bat 7|d, two 741 bat 7gd, seven 671 b

at 7£d, throe 611 b at 7id, three 581 b at 7X(.1, 41 571 b at 7|d, 35 671 b at 71d. one 86lb at 7jd, two 661 b at 7|d, four 68ib at 7Jd, 15 621 b at 7|d, two 611 b at 7§d, two 711 b at 7Jd, five 551 b at 7fd, 12 611 b at 7§d, 11 581 b at 7§ti, 10 531 b at 7fd, 13 571 b at 7|d, two 721 b at 7fd. 40 541 b at 7|d, two 601 b at 7fd, live 551 b tit 7|d, 16 521 b at 7|d. one 561 b at 7|d. 45 531 b at 7|d. five 63!b at 7id. 29 531 b at 7£d. six 521 b at l! 2 d, four 541 bat 7R four 581 bat lid. one 641 b at 7£d. one 721 b at 7£d, six 561 b at 7£d. two bOTo at 7|d, two 591 b at 7Ad, four 551 b at Cows—Four 611 b at 7§d, 20 531 b at 7fd. six 631 b at 7Jd. one 621 b at 7fd, two 511 b at 7Ad, 12 521 b at 7Ad. four 531 b at 7Ad, three 501 b, 33 541 b at 7Ad, two 601 b at 7£d, three 68ib at, 7&d, 66 451 b at lid. two 641 b at, 7*d. 14 581 b at I{4, two 471 b at Ud, nine 451 b at lid. 10 431 b at, lid, 61 45!b fit 7i.d, two 501 b at 7Ad. 25 461 b at lid. 13 431 b at 7A.d. four 471 b at 7id, seven 451 b at 7cL three 491 b at 7d, five 461 b at 7d. five 43!b at 7d, eight 361 b at 7d, 14 341 b at 7d per lb. We quote:—Ox—Extra stout, heavy, BAd to 9£d; stout, heavy, 7ld to B|d; heavy, Ud to 7§d; medium, 7id to 7gd; light, 7d to lid. Cow—Stout, heavy, 7Ad to 7fd; heavv, 7jd to 7Ad; medium, 7{d to 7 Ad; light, 7d to 7 Ad. Damaged and ! bad-conditioned ox and cow from 4d to , 6^d; bull and stag, 4id to sd; calfskins, i 9(J to 9{d for best, and from 8d to Bld for 1 medium, while damaged and inferior sold at from 2A.d to per lb. SALE OF RIVERSDALE FARM, WEST TAIERI. Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co. (Ltd.) report having sold privately at a high price Messrs Carmichael Bros.' wellknown Riverside Farm, comprising 257 acres, on the Taieri Plain, to Mr W. W. Duke, butcher, Dunedin. Riverside was purchased by the late Mr Malcolm Carmichael about 40 years ago, and has been in the possession of the Carmichael family ever since. Under the capable management of the late Mr Carmichael, and latterly that of his sons, it has long been widely known as a most valuable agricultural and grazing property, and it is now without a doubt one of the most highly-improved and fertile farms on the Taieri Plain.

OTAGO FARMERS' HORSE BAZAAR. The Otago Farmers' Co-operative Association of New Zealand report:—We held our usual weekly sai© of horses in our bazaar on Saturday, when we offered. 48 animals of all descriptions, including medium draught mares- and geldings Tanners, spring-carters, expressers, ordercart sorts, and buggy horses. There was a capital attendance of the public, a good number of farmers being preeent and a strong muster of contractors, town carriers, and traders. _ The demand was- somewhat easy, and bidding slaek except for useful spring-carters and harness horses. Anything young and sound in these sections sold fairly well. Heavy draughts were not plentiful, and only a few changed hands. Consignments came from Milton, Ai'ianton, Taieri, Waitati, Peninsula, Spreydon, and there were a number of local horses. The bulk of the country horses went to fresh stables at satisfactory prices, in fact, a fair proportion of the whole entry found new owners and a fairly good sale resulted. We shall hold our harvest horse sale on Friday, January 21. We quote: Good young draught mares at from £3B to £45; extra good Clydesdale mares, suitable for stud purposes, £45 to 80 guineas; superior young draught geldings, fit for shaft and lorry work, £3B to £4B, extra to £55; ordinary draught rnares and geldings at from £2B to £3B; aged draughts at from £lO to £2O; good strong, upstanding vanners, at from £26 to £33; heavy spring-carters at from £2O to £27 10s; ordinary springcarters at from £ls to £2O; upstanding buggy mares and geldings from £l6 to £25; hackneys and cob ponies, from £8 to £ls. DUNEDIN HORSE SALEYARDS. Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co. report as follows:—There was a very fair entry of horses for this week's sale, but only about half-a-dozen of the lot were draughts, the balance being composed of light harness sorte, which, with a few exceptions were aged and inferior. There was a good attendance of buyers A number of town contractors and farmers were present, most of them on the lookout for sound young horses suitable for shafting and farm work, and anything offering of this description is readily placed at satisfactory prices. Heavy shafters and

young, upstanding, light-harness sorts arg in demand, and as the market has a hardening tendency owing t:o the approach of harvest, any horses of the right stamp coming forward are keenly competed for. Good reliable hacks and harnes3 horses are- also in request at the pre-

sent time. Wo quote: Superior young draught geldings at from £4O to £45; extra good ditto (prize-winners), at from £45 to £SO-: superior young draught mares at from £SO to £6O; medium draught mares and geldings, at from £3Q to £4O; aged at from £lO to £ls; strong spring van horses at from £25 to £3O; strong spring-carters at from £lB to £25; milk cart and butchers' order cart horses at from £ls to £25; light hacks at from £3 to £l3; extra good hacks and harness horses at from £l3 to £25; weedy and aged at from £5 to £7.