THE WOOL MARKET.

Otago Witness, Issue 3523, 20 September 1921, Page 14

THE WOOL MARKET.

LONDON SALES. LONDON, September 12. I At the mixed wool sale an average selec- * tion was offered. Competition (especially Continental) was hardly equal to that of last week, but prices were fully maintained. A New Zealand lot made up to 3j),d and averaged 33d. In Bradford tops the market shows c. good tone, with inquiry for spot lots, but there was little forward business. Quotations aro hardening. September 13. At the wool sale, merinos (mostly V\ est Australian) suitable for the Home trade met with fairly good competition, prices being unchanged. A good selection of crossbreds, both greasy and scoured, met with strong competition at full prices. Last week’s firmness was fully recovered. New Zealand, Waihopai, brought 23d and 2ld. September 14. At the “mixed” wool sales there was a very good competition, and all prices weas fully maintained. A New Zealand lot, Tatatahi, made up to 18d. September 15. Tlte wool sales closed very firm. The catalogues offered were made up of mixed lots. The scries throughout has been marked by the oM-time competition and keenness in bidding. Continental buyers have token a leading part, especially for merinos and the finer crossbreds, with the Home trade com- I peting strongly, especially in the last few j days. The tone throughout was confident, j and at times buoyant. Merino maintained . their c>-jr\ li.ig advance, closing with a hardening i™o this week. Greasy wool closed at r, 10 to 15 per cent, advance on the July pr-e-o?, Ndlies and faulty lots also showing appreciation in value. Scoured wool was 10 p-ttr cent, dearer. The strength of the market for crossbred wool developed throughout; tho finer grades closed 15 to 20 per cent, dearei; medium and coarser met with wider competition, and prices were 10 to 15 per cent. up. Stipes were 10 per cent. up. Lambs’ wool was scarce, especially the better sorts, and the strong demand caused a 10 per cent, advance. The catalogues contained 140,710 bales, practically all being sold.SYDNEY WOOL SALES. SYDNEY. September 12. At the wool sales competition was keen at general rates. Super merinos and fine crossbreds were 5 per cent, higher. Mediums increased 10 iter cent., and coarser grades were 5 to 10 per cent firmer. September 35. i Tho fifth series of wool sales closed witli animated competition. Good merinos, bulky merino skirtings, and fine medium crossbreds increased 71 to 10 per cent., and medium merinos St to 71 per cent. OAMAItU MARKETS. CFnou Of,: Ow.v C'or.ttEsuoxijen’t.) OAMARL T , September 17. Tho local markets have passed another exceedingly quiet week, a very small volume of business in any direction being reported. Everyone seems to be seriously concerned about tho weather, which continues very dry, and a good soaking rain would i e welcomed as a great blessing. But that serf of rain does not come. All that has been experienced has been a light drizzle on occasions that has done no more than sprinkle the foliage of vegetation. To-day something of that kind made an appearance about noon, but an I write it has apparently come to an end. In some country districts, however, more rain is reported to have fallen, but it will require a good deal more to be of any ktoting value. So far grass lias made very poor growth, and feed is already becoming short, so that unless there is a good accession

of moisture to stimulate vigorous growth the outlook for feed during the summer will become severely depressing. It is largely due to that possibility that tlie stock market is lifeless. As to the grain crops, the autumn and winter wheat lias come away remarkably well, and some agriculturists of experience say that they have never seen better brairds; but more rain is required to induce the crops to stool out well and lay the foundation for good yields. Rain is also needed to give spring-sown cereals a good si art. Now as to the markets. The supply of wheat in the . country has been exhausted. There are, however, good supplies of oats and barley to be handled, and some potatoes and seeds. But nil these things are practically at a standstill. An improvement lias taken place in the oat market, and a slight advance in prices is recorded. But holders in the country have not been encouraged to sell to any extent, and consequently transactions have been few as between growers and merchants, the bulk of the week's business having been between merchants. A few country lines have, however, been handled at the following prices:—Good milling Gartens, 3s and 3s 11, net at country stations; A grade Gar tons, 3s net at country stations, and 3s net delivered in Oamaru. Aft for other cereals and produce, the record has been rescued from a complete blank only by a sale of rape seed at 2d net at a country siding. SOUTHLAND MARKET REPORT. (From Our Owx Correspondent.) INVERCARGILL, September 17. Oats. —There is a little more stir in this market at present, sales recently having been negotiated at 3s fid, f.0.b.5.i., for A Cartons. Local merchants hold very small stocks, and as offerings from the mills are insignificant, they are finding it difficult to make further purchases. Chaff. —There is a fair quantity offering, and merchants being well stocked are consequently not keen to make further purchases. By reason of the high rate of freight ruling from Bluff to the north, it is impossible to effect sales for shipment, so that the demand is purely a local one. Prime quality chaff is worth £3 15s on trucks, possibly a little more. Ryegrass.—There are a few parcels on the market, and clean, heavy-weight seed is worth ns muen as 3s 9d per bushel on trucks. There is a. good demand for local use, but trade with the north is quiet. Potatoes aro not exciting much interest, as northern merchants are fully stocked. Good table potatoes are worth up to £2 on trucks. SALE OF HIGHLY-BRED CLYDESDALE ENTIRE COLT. Wright, Stephenson, and Co. (Ltd.) report having sold privately, on account of Messrs Mitchell and O’Brien, to Mr Robert Hagan, jun., of Palmerston South, an exceptionally \wll-brocl Clydesdale entire colt named Surradale Favourite, rising throe years old, bred by Donald’s Estate, Feathers:on. This upstanding colt lias the most fashionable strains of blood on boll) his sire’s and his dam’s side. The sire is the imported great prize-wilining horse Buddy vie Favourite (16955), and tho dam a very famous mare named Surradale Rose (28224), imported bv Mr Ernest Short, of the Parorrmgi Stud Farm, Feilding. Buchiyvic Favourite was bred by Mr Janies Strang, of Thirds Farm, Buohlyvie, and is a son of one of Scotland’s most famous Clydesdale stud horses—namely, Royal Favourite (10,630), Vol. XX, out of a Real Mackay (11,968) mare, Thirds Rosie (31,455), Vol. 35; g-dam Floss (31,454), V. 35, by Lord Roberts (11,103), V. 23; g-g-clam Flossie (10,761), V. 14, by Castlereagh (10,324), V. 20; g-g-g-dam Freida (4754), V. 8, by Chancellor of Blackball (1094), V. 2; g-g-g-g-dam Je&s

(4637), V. 8, by The Tifter (871), Y. 1. Surradale Rose (28,224) was bred by George A. Ferguson, of Surradale, Elgin, and is a. daughter cf Fyvie Baron (14,681), Vol. 31, out of Bathgate (28,223), Vol. 34, by Baron Ruby (11,268); g-dam Jean of Cairnstone (16,288), by Royal Alexander (9997); g-g-g-dam Rosalea (i 1,778), by M'Camon (3818); g-g-g-g----dam Rosalind, by The Viscount (2477); g-g-g-g-g-dam Rosie, by Prince of Wales (673). Mr Hagan is to be congratulated upon the acquisition of so well-bred and so promising a colt, as also are the residents in tho Palmerston and Waikouaiti districts.