THE WOOL SALES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3018, 17 January 1912, Page 23

THE WOOL SALES.

LONDON, January 11. At the Antwerp wool sales there was a small attendance and competition was poor. Prices were 3 per cent, below the December rates. Three thousand two hundred and fifty-eight bales of La Plata wool were offered and 1050 were sold. AUCKLAND, January 10. A general advance in -prices was the notable feature of the second wool sale of the season, held to-day. Compared with values obtained at the opening sale of the season, the prices paid were higher by £d to Id per lb. The total of 6672 bales was submitted. The bench of buyers was fully representative of British*, American, Continental, and local firms, and competition was spirited. A large proportion of the wool offered was not attractive, and lack of attention to classing and skirting was very noticeable. The range of prices compared with the previous sale was as follows: —Pine halfbred and merino, lOd to lid (previous sale 9d to 10£d) ; fine crossbreds, lOd to ll£d (3d to. IO4CI) ; Shropshire and Romney, B£d to IOJd (Bi-d to 9|d) ; medium crossbred, 7fd to IOJd (7£d to B|d) ; Lincoln and coarse crossbred, 7d to 7J|d {6|d to 7*d) ; inferior and log stained, 63d to (6J»d to 7d) ; iamb, none offering (lid to B|d)'. NAPIER, January 10. The catalogue for the second wool sale of the season next Tuesday will comprise about 20,300 bales., some 4000 more

than for the corresponding sale last ye iv. The wool is opening out in excellent condition, and prices are expected to ffilly maintain the November level. The buyers will include six representatives of French houses. WELLINGTON, January 7,0. At the January wool sale commeucing to-morrow 17,466 bales will be offered, 5009 less than at the same sale last year. WELLINGTON, January 11. The January wool sales opened with an aggregate catalogue of 17.466 bales. Competition was keen for all fine wools, which were generally £d per lb better than similar wools at the December sales, but coarser wools were slightly easier. The highest price realised was for a choice fine lot of halfbred Southdown, 12^d.

The number of bales of wool to bo forwarded for the sale to be held at Dunedin on the 23rd of this month is not yet ascertainable, but as a result of the recent wet weather shearing operations have been delayed, and it is quite certain that the total bales will not reach the number forward for the January sals List year. The wool is now commencing to arrive in Duncdin in fair quantity, but it is expected that within the next few days it will be forwarded in much greater bulk, and that agents will be ke;it very busy unloading the consignments from the trucks. The wool is said to be in good average condition, though it bias been suggested that perhaps a small proportion may be affected by the sand raised in certain districts by hip,h winds recently. In order that the catalogues may be quite completed before the day of sale, it should be noted that all lots will have to be forwarded a few days beforehand to enable this intention to be conveniently carried out. Messrs * Dalgety and Co. report having received the following cablegram from their office dated London, January 9: —"The list of arrivals for tihe forthcoming series of wool sales is closed. New arrivals amount to 353.000 bales, of which 181. COO bale 9 have been forwarded to manufacturers at Home and abroad, leaving 132.000 bales available for sale, including 10.000 bales of old stock."

WOOL EXPORTS. The imports of wool for the year into the London market have amounted to 1,285,000 bales, of which the largest importers were: Dalgety and Co., 80,000 bales; Bank of New Zealand, 56,000 bales; Union Bank of Australia, 55,000 bales; Sandorson, Murray, and Co., 53,000 bales; Now Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, 46,000 ba'.es; New Zealand and Australian Land Company, 34,000 bales; James Morrison and Co. (Ltd.), 34*000 bales; Elder, Smith, and Co. (Ltd.), 34,0-30 bales.