MELBOURNE WOOL MARKET.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 3, 18 November 1862, Page 2

MELBOURNE WOOL MARKET.

Thursday, October 23. 3fe33rs. K. Goldsbrough & Co. report . —

The first sale of the season was held at our warehouse on Wednesday, the 22nd inst., and attracted a most numerous attendance of English, continental, and colonial buyers, our large saleroom being crowded to excess. We catalogued 2,715 bales, but in consequence of the withdrawal of several lots fur further instructions, the actual quantity submitted was 2,213 bales. The sale opened tolerably briskly, and the bulk of the unwashed wools were disposed of at fair prices, although not equal to those of last season. For flocco tho biddings were not so animated, and several lots were passed or bought in on owners account, our reserves on Ihem boinof more thnn buyers were prepared to give. Inferior, to ordinary descriptions were much neglected, and for three or four flocks we could scarcely obtain an offer, such is the reluctance of buyers to purchase ill-conditioned sorts. From the resu.it of this sale it is evident that the anticipations Oi several growers, who expect last year's rates, will cot bo realised, and with just reason, as we need oi-'ly refer to the English market reports 'of the last twelve months to prove that on inferior to ordinary fleece there has been a decline of from 2d. to 3d. ; and on average to good ot fully l£d per Ib. Superior clips have invariably commanded fair prices, and we caw ouly regret that we had not a few cnoice lots to offer yesterday, as we fuel ca'iified that the rates obtained would have been highly satisfactory, both to ourselves and constituents. Our impression is that after this first testing of the market, pricj3 will become more steady, and we trust our friends the growers will, by ti like concession, meet the decline which has taken place, and thus enable us to obtain fair prices for '.them, as there is no doubt buyers are anxious to operate if they can purchase at anything like reasonable rates. It is on the whole gratifying to us that- the fall from last season's quotations here is not nearly So great as that of the English market, and this will be evident to our friends if they compare the catalogues. In all we Hold 1,126 bales, — greasy at G£d to Is o£d ; fleece at Is 3d to Is 6J-d ami scoured at Is 4d to Is 10£ d per lb.

Thm-srhy, October 30th. [ Wool. — We have pleasure in reporting a most I decided improvement in this market, our sale, hold on. Wednesday, having been without, exception the PJLjnost spirited we ever wittie sed in Melbourne. In ■>■; vallj : vie i catalogued 2838b~alc;s~' the whole o£ which V- iwere sold, with thciesyeptjon of 24 bales, and the ;obtained -were ■mbsfc satisfactory, both to '■*■ ourselves "and'l constituents, many of whom were .■'preseiit.''lG.reasy realised .{Jdito Is O^d, and fleece . 6dL';tojls IH4* per pound, the latter p. ice having '4 ; <%h {obtained for a lot of 103 bales from the Wes. -•• -irjfn district. Wo also syld a larjo clip of 700

bales at 23d, and another of 400 bales in the grease at ll£d per lb. From t'«e commencement to the close, biddings were most animated, and afforded ■amplcproot of the" desire of buyeis to operate when good lots are offered, for superior lots, the demand is very bsisk ; and if a- few more of our friends'of the Portland district will favour us with their clips, we have no doubt the prices wo shall obtain for them will be such as to afford convincing prdofs of the great superiority of this market over any other in the colonies. "We are glad to perceive that numbces ot our friends who, after the result of our first sale, contemplated shipping to the home markot, have chang?d their minds, and decided to realise in this; thus securing for themselves a high price, prompt cash returns, and the avoidance of all the uncertainty incidental on shipping wools at the present juncture. Our total sales this week are about 3300 bales, 600 bales having been placed by private contract in addition to those sold at auction, and the prices obtained cannot fail lo give satisfaction to growers.

Sheepskins. — We placed several lota at auction at from 6d to 7£d per lb.

Hides. — We have sold small lots of country wet salted at from 9s to 10s each. A parcel of about 1,0,000 are in course of shipment to the home market on curers' account.

Tallow. — Good demand, and supply very limited. We have several inquiries for beef, mixed, and mutton, prices for which rule about as follows:— Beef, L 36 to L3«10s; mixed, L 37 to L39 ; and mutton, L4O to L4l- per ton.