OTAGO FARMERS’ UNION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3774, 13 July 1926, Page 13

OTAGO FARMERS’ UNION.

MEETING OF EXECUTIVE. The monthly meeting of the Otago Provincial Executive of the New Zealand. Farmers’ Union was held on the 6th, the president (Mr J. Preston) being in the chair, other members present were Messrs D. M. Reid, A. C. Leary. I. D. Revie. A. Craig, C. F. Overton, R. J. Smith, tf. S. Sheat, C. R. Sheat, R. S. Steill, E. H. Murney, J. Christie, M. A. Kinney, R. Tohill, J. Clarke The President extended a welcome to new members and said that the attendance augured well for the work of the year STOCK TRAINS. The Secretary presented a report from the s Railways Department dealing with arrangements for the transport ot stock to Burnside sales. A special train had now been put on on Tuesday of each week, which had met the requirement of farmers. The executive expressed its appreciation bf the/Tuesday special, which nad eliminated the congestion at the yards. If the train were run every week ihe problem would be more or leu solved. A suggestion from Mr Revil to the effect that the special train should be delayed in summer months to allow of a ooaneo-

tion with the Tapanui branch was referred to the Traffio Manager (Mr H. P. West), who promised to look into the matter. He stated, however, that he was afraid such an arrangement would be quite impossible. FINANCIAL. The Secretary reported that 65 subscriptions had been collected since the last meeting. Accounts totalling £lO9 11s Ad were passed for payment, and organisation expenses (£l7 9s 6d) were approved. SHEEP AND MOTOR CARS. Mr J. Christie (Balclutha) moved: “That a conference be arranged between the Farmers’ Union, the Otago Motor Club, and other inteiested bodies, to consider the framing of rules for tne co-operation of motor drivers and sheep drovers on public highways.” He said it was a most necessary thing. Some peoole knew what to do but hundreds did not, and these hundreds were a nuisance. The president, the secretary, and Mr Christie were instructed to meet the Motor Club: It was recognised that no rules could be made compulsory, but a great deal of good could be done by the circulation of suggested regulations among motorists and farmers. ORGANISATION. A letter was received from the Dominion secretary advising that organisation work in Otago would be suspended meanwhile. MEAT BOARD ELECTION. Mr Revie (Crookston) was nominated as the representative of the Otago executive of the Farmers* Union to the Electoral Committee of the Meat Control Board, the annual meeting of which will be held early in August. The executive decided to urge all members to support this nomination. FREEZING WORKS AMALGAMATION. The South Otago Freezing Company wrote in respect of the proposed amalgamation of co-operative freezing works. Mr Christie outlined the advantages to be gained from amalgamation. Mr A. C. Leary moved—“ That, while recognising that the question of amalgamation must be finally decided by the shareholders of the companies concerned, this meeting affirms the principle of amalgamation to be in the best interests of the industry. The resolution was carried. RABBIT NUISANCE ACT. The Otago and Southland Sheepownera* Federation brought before the notice of the executive various anomalies in the Rabbit Nuisance Act. The federation was congratulated on having referred the matters to Dr Reakes. It was stated that the powers vested in a single inspector were too extensive, and did not work out equitably. Also, the evidence brought in favour ox offenders carried very little (weight* It was suggested that the Act should be amended to allow of an appeal being j£fd* agajnsjj a magistrate’s decision-

It was decided to support the federation’s action. DOMINION CONFERENCE. The appointment of delegates to the Dominion Conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union resulted as follows:—The President (Mr j. Preston), the secretary (Mr S. P. Cameron), Messrs Revie, Reid, Murney, and Waite. The Dominion Secretary advised that special rail concessions would be made to travelling delegates and their wives and families. MARKET FOR WETHERS. Mr Christie said that at the present time the market for wethers looked anything but promising. He expected a collapse shortly. He would suggest as a means of strengthening the market that the farmers of the province should freeze and ship a certain proportion of their wethers and risk whatever possible loss there might be. If each grazier acted thus with a few wethers it would mean that several thousand carcases would be l shipped from the province. The result would certainly be a stiffening in the market, and a collapse would be obviated. The results would reimburse farmers for any small loss in shipping. HOME ECONOMICS. Consideration and discussion of the following resolution was deferred till the next meeting:—“That this conference affirms the urgent need of extension work in home economics among the women of country districts; the work to be carried on by competent instructors acting in cooperation with the Departments of Agriculture and Education.” The President stated that the matter could not be gone on with in the absence of Mr Waite, who was at present pursuing further inquiries in Wellington, in an endeavour to interest in the proposal. DUTY ON OATS. Mr D. M. Reid, for the Milton branch, submitted a motion to the effect that the Government should place an import duty on oats coming into the country. The wheat growers were protected by an import duty and he did not see why the oat growers should not be placed in a similar position. TARIFF ON TIMBER, Mr Revie (Crookston) moved that the Government be asked to allow no further increase :n the duty on imported timber. If the local industry were unable to carry on with the assistance of the present protective tariff it should go to the wall. He said the backblocks farmer was at present greatly handicapped in the matter of timber for building, and if any further increase were made, the cost of the local article would become all but prohibitive. Timber could be landed in New Zealand to-day from America and sold as cheaply as the local article in spite of the .heavy duty. Surely the New Zealand industry could compete against such timber. The Secretary explained that the matter had been sent to the Dominion conference by the Wanganui Union with enlightening statistics on the subject, and it would be threshed out fully at that meeting. The motion was carried. Mr Revie therefore withdrew his motion. COASTAL FREIGHTS. Mr C. R. Sheat (Milton) entered a protest against the ruling freights in coastal shipping, which was ruining the interchange of produce between the North and South Islands. It cost as much, he said, to send a consignment of oats to Auckland, as it did to send a similar freight from Australia or Canada to New Zealand. The President said there could be little redress in this matter, unless farmers could get another shipping company to operate on the coastal lines. There was a monopoly at present in this respect which would have to be broken before any reduction could be hoped for. SALE OF FAT STOCK. Consideration of the report of the committee, headed by Mr Murney which was set up to go into the proposed scheme for the sale of fat stock, was deferred. It was decided to hold a special meeting for this purpose on July 27. RECLAIMING THE TAIERI. WORK ON THE RIVER BANKS. A COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY. With the completion of the work at present being carried out on the western bank of the Taieri River by the Public Works Department West T.aieri will have nothing to fear from floods in the future. The embankment has now reached ample proportions, and the huge steam-shovel with which the spoil has been, trucked is still sending truckload after truckload of material along the river bank. To any who have watched this machine at work, the task of freeing the Taieri farmer from the menace of floods does not seem so impossible after all. Like the gaping maw of some huge monster the bucket goes down into the bed of the river or bites into the bank, bringing up with it a load of spoil which is just dumped into the waiting trucks. Four bucketfuls is sufficient to fill a truck of four cubic yards capacity. All day long, this machine is loading two sets of trucks, and more than keeping them going. At present the plant is working in the vicinity of the railway bridge at Riverside. On the eastern bank, however, similar operations of smaller dimensions are in progress, and excellent work is being done on similar lines by private enterprise—private in the strictest sense of the word, since the work is being done by one man, who is shouldering considerable expense, which, while ensuring his own property from damage, is bound to prove a great boon to the district. Hundreds of yards of spoil have been removed by Mr J. W. Blair and piled up higher up on the bank, where there is now a large embankment, while at the same time the river has a clear course beneath the bridge, where the edge of the bed has been lowered some nine or 10 feet. Mr Blair has had five fiprse and dray teams at work here for some time, ana the work has been done at no mean cost to himself. He is to be congratulated for the public spirit that prompted him to undertake a work of such dimensions, which will be as much an advantage to the Taieri as it will be to his own Holdings ' : ' Tff.v.* *

But though present operations will secure for a portion of the Taieri at least, complete immunity from the floods that are ruining the production of the fertile plain, East Taieri is by no means free from the menace of despoiling waters. At the present time much valuable land is more or less inundated, and ks likely to be in the same condition with every freshet in the river. It is not unprecedented floods that are doing the damage in that district. Heavy floods occur on an average at about 10 yearly intervals, but water can be seen lying round in the vicinity of the junction of the Taieri and the Silverstream after every little freshet that raises the level of the water a few feet. This is all caused by a state of affairs far from irremediable. Concerted action and the exercise of a little foresight and publio spiritedness on the part of the district as a whole would soon put the matter right. The cause of these frequent inundations is the banking up of the waters of the two rivers at the junction every time the waters rise. * If the Public Works Department plant were shifted to that spot on the completion of the present job, and if similar operations were carried out, drainage from water would be confined to periods of great flood. The deepening and straightening of the channel and tne building up of an embankment would mean a great deal to landholders, who, at present, are faced with the problem of waste land,..because parts of thsir farm* are under water at intervals. But all this would cost money, and woiild necessitate the striking of a rate, and tkafc,

it appears, is where the hitch is. Those not affected by the banking waters are loth to pay a rate that is merely helping a neighbour out of a hole. The removal of such conditions, however, must surely have a beneficial on the Taieri as a whole, which would be made more productive. The value of the Taieri in the eyes or prospective purchasers is not likely to be very high when there is the possibility of periodical flooding to be faced. The elimination of this possiblity must increase the value of all land in the vicinity of the river, and in that respect it must affect individuals as well as the district as a whole—even those who are to reap no immediate benefit for the outlay of a few pounds in rates. It should not be hard for farmers to see that the advantages far outweigh any such consideration as the striking of a special ra even though it were twice as heavy as would be required. Of course, the return is in the nature of a deferred payment. The advantages to be reaped are not in the concrete immediate form which one usually expects to reward the outlay of money. The district cannot be forced into an acceptance of the responsibility, but* as it is so obviously in the interests of the community participation should offer little difficulty to the man with the district’s good as well as hie own at heart. . The Taieri is capable of great things if the bugbear of flood can be Land that is at present soured and overrun with watergrass, awaiting another of its periodical inundations, could be re* garded as an asset instead of a nuisance and a burden upon which it is necessary,

to pay rates. - aying- rates for one’s misfortune is surely a more anomalous position than paying rates for the benefit of a neighbour. CLYDESDALE HORSES AT AYR SHOW. (Froji Our Special Correspondent.) Favoured with beautiful weather, there was a fine turnoutk of spectators at the annual show of the Ayrshire Agricultural Association and a large proportion of them watched with intense interest the judging of the Clydesdale horses. Something of an impetus has been pivcn to the breeding of draught horses this season, it being already evident that a much larger number of mares are being served. At any rate the breed was well represented at the popular west country meeting. In general there was abundance of weight and substance, and the quality r.fl round was of a high order. The brood mares were not numerous, but they were of first-rate quality. The leader was the well-known Cherry Blossom, by Dunure Footprint out of Rose of Bute, and owned by Mr Robert Mackay, Balloch martin, Millport She is a big wide mare, with her legs nicely planted below her, having the finest of bone and straight silky feather. On more than qpe occasion she has been prominent in the prize ring, gaining the second place at the show of the Highland and Agricultural Society. Blossom was being followed by a pretty filly foal by the noted champion Craigie M'Quaid. The second mare was Mr James Gray’s Faith, from Birkenwood, Kippen. She, too, has been a successful show animal in past seasons. A six-year-old, she is bv Botha out of the well-known Benga. Mr Alexander Murdoch, East Hallside, near Glasgow, was third with the beautiful black Ophelia, by Craigie Litigant out of a dam by Dunure Footprint. Although not _ too big, she is quality all oyer. Others in the class would do honour to any show in the United Kingdom. The thre-voar-old mares . had for leader another of the daughters of Botha, belonging to Mr James Gray. She is a chestnut called Ginger Snap, and is a well-grown mare of pronounced Clydesdale type and a grand goor on the best of legs. Following her came Virol, by Ardyne Refiner, owned by Mr J. A. Armstrong, The Beeches Carlisle. She was first nt Ayr ns n two-year-old and second at the Highland. Mr Doughs D. Murray, The Dene, Scaham Harbour, was third with the handsome filly Queen of Them All, by Dunure Footprint out of Seaham Ideal. This is a young mare of outstanding worth, up to good size, and having a splendid set of limbs. She has always been near the too. The two-year-old fillies had a real dandy at their hood. This was Orange Blossom, oy l>unurn Footprint out of Dunure Essence. ' She is owned by Mr Alexander Murdoch, and has site, quality, and real Clydesdale character to commend her.

Blossom :s a grand mover on the very best of limbs. In the second place stood Mr Charles Aitkenhead’s Dignity, which gained a similar award at Kilmarnock. She is by the well-known stallion Ilford out of Bonnie Jean. Mr Robert Dalziel, Rue, Auldgirth, Dumfries, was third (as at Kil marnock) with the nicely-balanced true filly Rue May Queen, which will develop into a good-sized quality mare. Mr James Gray, jun., Crawfordston, Kippen, was fourth with Madge, a homebred filly by Botha out of Peggy of Crawfordston. Mr James Synington, ICcrse Park, Holly bush, was fifth with a get of Craigie M‘Quaid out of Nell of Kerse ; Mr James Crawford, Dowhill, Girvan, was sixth with Sybella, by Dowhill Advance out of Dowhill Sunlight; Mr Robert Kirkwood, jun., Craighouse, Ecclefechan, was seventh, with a get of the Cawdor Cup champion Flashdale out of a dam by Auchenflower; and Mr James Hamilton, Dunduff, £yr, was eighth with Dunduff Pearl, by Dunduff , Umpire out of Dunduff Kathlene. Some former decisions were completely upset in the yearling filly class. Mr Robert Paterson, of Stamperland, Cathcart. Glasgow, was promoted to the premier position with Craigie Belle, bred by Mr James Kilpatrick, of Craigie Mains. Kilmarnock, and got by (he noted champion Craigie M’Quaid out of the prize mare Craigie Beauty. She is undoubtedly a right good filly from ev&ry point of view, with a good top and the best of legs and feet, while her movement is all that coul' be desired in an animal of her age. Mr J. Ernest Kerr, of Harviestoun, Dollar, came in second with Alanna, which was out for the first, time. This is a nicely-balanced young Clydesdale, with a capital 6et of limbs. She is by the noted Botha out of the beautiful mare Harviestoun Audrey, which has been a successful prize winner in her time. Another new comer was an Ardlaw Pride filly, shown by Messrs T. and M. Templeton, Sandyknowe, Kelso. She was placed third, and looks like developing into a useful mare. As fate would have it, Mr James Gray’s Oonah which was first in her class and reserve for the junior championship at the Royal Northern Spring Show at Aberdeen and first at Kilmarnock, had to be content with the fourth place. Oonah is unquestionably a filly of much merit, and sne will come again. Got by Botha, she is out of the handsome big black mare Rue Mayflower. Mr Robert M‘Pherson, Drum boy, Darvel, was fifth with his Farleton Footprint filly, which was a place farther up at Kilmarnock; and Mr Robert Mackay, Ballochmartin, Millport, was sixth with a get of the celebrated Fyvie Sensation out of his first prize brood mare Cherry Blossom. In the Derby for yearling fillies Mr Robert Paterson was first with Craipie Belle, Mr James Gray was second with Oonah, Mr Robert Macpherson was third with Drumboy Remembrance, Mr Robert Mackay was fourth with Royal Present, Messrs A. and W. Andrew (Meikle Galdenoch, Stranraer) were fifth with Mab, by Aitkcnbrae Freeprint, and Mr

James Kilpatrick, jun. (Hawkrigg House, Wigton) was sixth with Hawkrigg Nancy, by Craigie M’Quaid out of the famous Boquhah Nannie 2nd. Mr Alexander Murdoch’s beautiful two-year-old filly Orange Blossom was made the female champion, with Mr Robert Mackay’s brood mare Cherry Blossom reserve. Unquestionably the two Blossoms are great specimens of the celebrated Clydesdale breed. MALE CLYDESDALES. The first of the males to be judged were three classes of geldings. If it cannot be maintained that the entries were numerous, it is no exaggeration to. say that the specimens forward would for size and substance compare favourably with the representatives of any of the other heavy breeds of the world. The quality was unquestionable. Most of them were animals with great, thick frames, set upon legs and feet which eannot be excelled. Mr Alexander Clark. Strathore, Thornton,* was the winner in the aged class with Bob, bred by Mr I>. P. Elliot, Nisbet Hill, Duns, and got by Scotland’s Victor out of Miss Lena. Last year this gelding was first at Ayr and at the Highland. Mr James Fleming, Barns of Claverhouse, Dundee, was second with the famous Jeff, by Bonnie Buchlyvie. The third award went to Mr William Wilson, Blackbyies Farm, Barrhead, for a get of Botha; Mr David Douglas, Baleamey. Dailly, was fourth with Jim; and Mr John Kirkwood, Dockenflat, Lockerbie, was fifth. The other awards were: Three-year-olds— First, Robert Dalziel with a get of Dunraven; second, George Campbell, with a son of Balcairn Warrior; third, John Kirkwood, with a gelding by Ardyne Refiner. Two-year-olds First, George Campbell, with a son of Grenoble; second, John Warnock, Snabe Farm, Strnthaven, with a get of Rannes Print; third, John Mair, Hannieston, Drongan, with a get of Orehardton. The colt classes were excellent. Mr James Clark, Netherlea, Cathcart, Glasgow, brought out his three-year-old Royal Enterprise in much better condition than he was at the Scottish Stallion Show, when he gained the Glasgow premium. At that time he was just recovering from a rather severe illness, but now he is himself again. A son of Mr Clark’s noted breeding stallion Fyvie Enterprise, he is out of Callands Gaiety. Mr Thomas Clark, a brother of the owner of Royal Enterprise, retired from the bench while the top positions were being decided. In the second place stood Mr James Kilpatrick’s great, flash colt Craigie gained the Cawdor Cup in 1925. Both are great specimens, and do credit to the breed. Another young horse of much promise was third. This was Mr George Alston’s Glencraig from Loudoun Hill, Darvel, which occupied a similar position at Kilmarnock. This is a colt which impresses one more every time he is seen out. When at maturity he will be bad to get past. He Is by the famous Auchenflower. Messrs A. Mont-

gomery and Co., Geordieland, Kirkcudbright, were fourth with Bank Draft, by Fyvie Sensation; Mr Robert Mackay, Ballochmartin, was fifth with Golden Eagle, a ‘eon of Craigie Litigant out of the first prize brood mare Cherry Blossom; Mr T. Purdie Somerville, Sandilands, Lanark, was sixth with Scotland’s Supreme, bred by Mr T. C. Lindsay, Aitkenbrae, and got by Auchenflower; and Mr David Adams, Auchencraig, Dumbarton, was seventh with Glenalmond Sundial, by Dunure Footprint. The tops in the two-year-old colt class were magnificent. There was no question about the leading position. Mr James Kilpatrick’s Craigie Ambition is a colt all by himself. He walked into the ring, gave a show, was sdnt up top, and remained there. This great son of Bonnie Buchlyvie is perhaps the best two-year-old seen out for years. He has size, quality, and every other attribute of the ideal Clydesdale. Mr Kilpatrick had forward another of the sons of the old champion—Craigie Crofter —looking remarkably well, and every bit a classy young Clydesdale destined to achieve further distinction in the show yard, he was placed third. With beautiful quality of bonej he is finely planted at the ground and moves gaily, keeping his hocks well together. In between him and Craigie Ambition was placed a colt belonging to Mr T. Purdie Somerville, which was fourth at Kilmarnock in 1925 and sixth at Edinburgh. He is by the good breeding stallion Dunmure Hiawatha out of Lady Marcellus. Bred upon proper lines, he is a good size, and will make a high-class stallion. Mr J. A. Armstrong, The Beeches, Tarraby, Carlisle, was fourth with the colt by Ardyne Refiner out of a Prince Okuma mother, which was seventh at the Scottish Stallion Show*. Placed fifth was Knockinlaw, owned by Mr William Forrest, and which was third nt Kilmarnock. Mr James Gray, jun., Crawfordston, was fifth with the attractive colt Cdnvinc-e, by Botha; and Messrs J. and J. H. Sloan, Dormi eston, Stair, were seventh with a get of Stair Lad. There were some dandies at the top of the yearling colt class. As at the Stallion Show, Mr James Gray’s noted colt Wireless from Crawfordston w r as put up top. This son of Botha is quality in every line of his frame, and if he grows big enough he will make a classy stallion. Mr Janies Kilpatrick had in the second position his son of Craigie M'Quaid, bred by Mr John Wilson, Yett, Liberton. This is a colt of a fine size, with superb legs, having beautiful wide, flinty bones, while he is splendidly planted at the ground, and moves to perfection. In another year he will follow closely on the great Ambition. Mr David Adams, Auchencraig, had another dandy in the third place. This was Brotnva, the son of Drumry Reformer out of Harviestoun Alma, which stood fourth at the Stallion Show. A colt of capital breeding, he gives promise of grooving well. The fourth award went to Mr James Kilpatrick for the son of Craigie M'Quaid, which was second at Kilmarnock. He was bred at Warrix, and will give a better account of himself in the near future. In the yearling colt Derby Mr Gray’s Wireless was first, with Mr Kilpatrick’s two colts next. The sweepstake competition for pairs of Clydesdales was won by Mr Alexander Murdoch with his brood mare Ophelia and his two-year-old filly Orange Blossom. Mr James Gray, BirkenwotfU, was second with his first and fifth three-year-old fillies. There was no hesitation in the awarding of the championship. Mr James Kilpatrick’s Craigie Ambition was at once given the honour, and Mr James Clark’s three-year-old Royal Enterprise was made reserve.

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER. TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF LONDON SALES. (From Our Special Correspondent.) BRADFORD, May 6. The offerings of merinos in London this series have not bfccn up to the level of the past three series. This was only to be expected. It indicates the end of the arrival of straight Australian clips, for to find a brand of wool running over 500 bales is the exception. Judging from the numerous marks, and the small quantities sold under them, it is plain to he seen that in the vast majority of cases they are the fag end of the clip, the termination of the last shearing of wools, part of which may have been offered in Australia and the balance disposed of v in Coleman Street. There has also been a great increase this series of second-hand parcels, some shorn over 12 months ago, and held over in the hope of making a better price; but the majority of the merino wools catalogued were bought at early sales in Australia, and speculators are hoping to get out of them a fraction profit. Peak Downs, grown in the Clearmont district of Queensland, has been represented by another nice offering of 238 bales. It is a good 64’s clip, well grown, sound, and the top line of grease combing made 25d, necks 24d, broken 23d, pieces 22d, bellies 20£d, and locks lOd. The wcaners made 22£d, a clear proof of the acceptable nature of the wool. A special point to be noted by the reader is the steady range of lower values for the combing down to the locks. This is as it should be. It shows ihat the wools have been carefully graded and classed. Then some very good scoured merinos from Queensland have also been catalogued, Tweedsmuir being represented by 295 bales. The wool was in splendid order, clean, bright, and particularly free of* fault in the top lines. The merino combing sold from 45d to 43d, broken 39d, pieces 38d to 33d, bellies 36$d, and locks 27£d. The good, even character of these wools and their cleanliness was responsible for the prices recorded. Then a very acceptable lot of wool was marked Logan/Redcliffe, comprising 365 bales. It was in the greasy state, the merino wethers making 24d to 21jd, broken 23$d, pieces and bellies 19d. The bulk of these wools went to the Continent. Besbania was a straight running clip of 702 bales. Its 64’s to 70’s quality, in spite of being a little wastv, was the acceptable feature to the French section. The top line of merino made 22d, other lots selling at 21 |d to 20$d,

fleece 19d to 17R necks 22d to 18|d, broken 19|d and 19d, pieces 18£d to 16£d* bellies 17*d to 134 d, and weaners 16d. Victoria has been rather better repre* sented than last series, in so far as therd have been many more numerous lots, but no straight running clips. The best price so far is that paid for Hyde Park, the greasy* merino second combing making 28d and first fleece 28d. These were two little speculator’s lots, but proves that even these are acceptable to tne trade. Of course, the most wools have been scoured skm wools from this State, Gibb/Port Phillip being represented by some good lines of scoured, the top line of combing making 40d, other lots 39d to 37d, while some good clean lambs touched 35d. It is really wonderful how well lambs have sold —oftentimes a good Id to l£d more than last series. For instance, RS in diamond/Geelong saw the scoured merino lambs make 40R other lots 35d to 33d, and pieces 23£d. Camperdown scoured merino touched 41R Lake Victoria scoured super lambs 42R O’Beirne/Linton combing 43d, pieces 36R comeback 33d, and crpssbred 23d. _ These are very good prices, and clearly indicate a better market than obtained in March. So far very few West Australian wools have been catalogued. A very good line was marked JHB/Murchison, the scoured merino combing touching 4l£d, pieces 35d to 26d, and lambs 344 d. These were very good wools, had been well prepared for market, and sold splendidly. South Australian wools were also in evidence. Cordillo touched 38d for scoured merino ewes. This is grown on the extreme north-west corner of the State, and always comes to market in the scoured state on account of the distance to the nearest railway station. GU/II lias been very much to the fore, comprising a lot of scoured miscellaneous wools, though tho combing touched 38Jd and lambs 35£d; while Waverley/JM &, Sons saw the scorned merino make up to 45£d for a good line. CROSSBREDS. Good halfbreds, comprising SC-56 s have sokl on a full parity with the rates ruling in March. Fine crossbred wools to-day are keeping very good company with merinos,* and this is largely the outcome of fashions in dress goods consuming big weights of 56s quality. These are firm. When we come to medium and coarse crossbreds there is often a decline of Id. The selection of New Zealand crossbreds, as well as Punta wools, could hardly have been better, because many new clips are being catalogued. Upton Fells greasy comeback touched 2(Ud, halfbred 20id and 18d, pieces 18d, and bellies 13d. These were very nice wools, well grown, and in very acceptable condition. When we leave halfbreds and comebacks it is then that we begin to encounter the decline. For instance, Pukerua was a good 50’s quality wool and below, and the top line only made 14|d, other lots of combing selling from 14d to 12d, necks 12d, pieces bellies lOd, and lambs 15£d to 13d. They were nice medium quality, but were undoubtedly cheaper. B in heart/Puro Puro touched 16d for greasy crossbred combing, other lots making to 134 d, necks 14|d. This mark was very nice quality, very well grown, and in nice condition. The best line of greasy halfbreds so far catalogued was branded DXN, which touched 22£d, several lots making 184 d to 16d, bellies and pieces 144 d. These were light and well grown, and ran up to 56’s quality, the bulk going to France. Under this same mark were two nice lots of merino combing, which made 21$d and 21d respectively. Quite a lot of scoured New Zealand wools have been offered this series, perhaps the outcome of the excellent prices ruling for this description early in the season. Castle Hill scoured merino combing touched 49d, scoured halfbred 36d to 27d, and three-quarterbred 22d. Clarence/Paa saw the scoured merino touch 44d, pieces 30d, bellies 37d, and locks Evidently the scourers had made the utmost of the wools, and they sold very well indeed. R & Co/T scoured merino combing touched 46d to 42d, pieces 444 d to 36d, scoured halfbred pieces 37d to 24d, and bellies 35d to 31d. These prices show that the trade appreciates New Zealand scoured if the work is well done and the wools are straight in quality. Slipe New Zealand wools have lost ground—generally 5 per cent. Good halfbred lambs are not making more than 2ld to 22d, the latter being an exceptional price. Tomoana/NZ saw the slipe halfbred lambs making- 21 Jd, pieces 15Jd, clothing 15Jd, clothing pieces 12fd, and pelt 15d. T B & S/Hastings slipe halfbred touched 21 d to 17d, other lots 19d to 17d, three-quarterbred lambs 18d, fine crossbred lambs 16d, clothing ]6d to 14$d. while a little line of scoured crossbred pieces touched 21$d to 15d. These are Pot by any means big prices, but they clearly indicate the general course of the market. Most of the slipes are going to the home trade, and there is this time very - little doing on American account. France is taking fair weights of both greasy and slipe wools, chiefly lambs in the latter case, while Germany is also doing well, and absorbing fair quantities of greasy crossbreds. The above gives a fair outline of the position of wool in London, apart from all that is involved in the miners’ strike. One immediate result is that business has been suspended in Bradford, and everything is in a state of chaos and uncertainty. Misgivings were entertained about the continuance of the London sales, and the announcement was made on Monday that they had been suspended. No doubt mills in Bradford and district will endeavour to carry on as long as possible, but those dependent on coal supplies will obviously be in difficulties as soon as their stocks are exhausted unless some means of transport is introduced. General dissatisfaction is expressed in Bradford trnd*» oire!' , «> this latest adverse circumstance, for it is recognised that but for this disturbing influence there would in all probability have been at least a reasonable development of new business.