COMMERCIAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12666, 20 January 1912, Page 6

COMMERCIAL.

Messrs Williams and Kettle, Ltd., hove received the following wool report from their London agents, dated December 13th, 1911: — The sixth and concluding series of colonial wool sales for the current year, which commenced on the 28th ult., concluded on tho 9th inst. The net total available quantitv was 128,500 bales, of which 32,000 bales comprised New Zealand descriptions and 5200 bales Capes. The series occupied 11. selling days, with an average daily offering of 12,018 bales, whilst of the quantity sold about 58,000 bales have beejJ taken p for export, including 4000 bales for America and about 11,000 bales AvithdraAvn or held over for future realisation.- The attendance throughout was exceptionally huge and competition animated and keen, both English and Continental buyers operating with great freedom, whilst the someAvhat sudden demand from America had a decidedly stimulating effect - upon , the market. As regards merinos, the market Ims ruled very firm throughout, for although at the outset prices showed but little change on pre vious currencies, as the sales progressed an advance was often secured of 5 per cent, on the greasy descriptions, whilst the better classes of scoureds improved 5 per cent, and the inferior lots 7_ per cent. Undoubtedly, the feature of the series Avas the strong demand from America, for the verv limited quantitv of fine and medium crossbreds suitable fo'r their requirements, and. these appreciated to the extent of 10 per cent., but ordinary lots, however, of these grades, mostly taken by ,topmakers, did not show an improvement of more than 5 per cent., Avhilst this advance also applied to the coarser kinds. Scoureds and slipes, although in large supply, have met with good demand, the former marking an advance of about 5 . per cent, to 10 per cent., the fullest appreciation being upon the finer qualities, whilst in the case 0 f the latter the advance was 7_ per cent, on fine and 5 per cent, on coarser descriptions. As compared with the closing rates of October sales we quote the following changes:—GreasAmerinos, super or fine ■id dearer, medium Ad 7_ a . er \i ,0l ] rse or inferior _d dearer; scoured, 4 to Id dearer, Id dearer, Id dearer; greasv crossbred (light), Id dearer, . Id dearer, _d to id dearer; greasy crossbred (ordinary), id ?^f r ' 4^ to _d dearer; scoureds (ordinary), Id deo*My id to Id- dearer, id to i„_, deare , r i s J"P es ' * d to ld dearer, id to Id +_£ , V id fearer.,,. The result of the auc tions is satisfactory, for although purchase «?»„„/." enc " n . aC -? unt are for immediate con- 1 sumption, indications generally point to the possibility^ of a steady improvement in busi_Af«f.i i n . i* hB . < 3 uar I t . e ': j in t the near future, and sliould this be realised and no unexpected han peninjfs occur there should be no reason to T__ C, .f ? nn ,* v rea .^ ion «** values now current. Th_ ne . xt , s »»e3 wiU commence on January 16. The latest Bradford prices for tops are: Fine 46*s Sb l« ed 2H S6 SIS 7id _ n . flne 1 50 ' 8 ls 5fJ - n^diim a i-m ?d,, coarse 40*a Is lid, Wa Is 03d. A little time prior to the opening of the aucan 0 5 S 12 C W S d r r _n b . ,e S a] A ° f t0 P" »» 2s R 60*s and 12id for 40's had been, made by Bradford, hence it would appear that these "bears" are rather badly caught.