ANOTHER RECORD

Southland Times, Issue 19122, 14 December 1923, Page 5

ANOTHER RECORD

CHRISTCHURCH WOOL SALE KEEN COMPETITION MAINTAINED LOCAL MILLS SECURE FINER LOTS. (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, December 13. The second Christchurch wool sale of the season was held to-day, when the catalogue comprised 23,715 bales. The wool was in excellent condition, being bright and wellgrown and remarkably free from dust, the result of the exceptionally favourable season. In addition the catalogue was outstanding in the class of wool offered. The earlier season permitted quite a number of clips to come forward that, as a rule, are not catalogued until the January sale. As these, for the greater part, represent station flocks of fine-woolled sheep, the general character of the catalogue was very much enhanced. It was the subject of comment amongst buyers that the catalogue was the best for quality and variety yet offered in the Dominion. The sale was a notable one from the fact that the local mills set the pace for highgrade wools and secured a heavy proportion of super lots, but were pursued to the last bid by the American, and in some cases Horne buyers. The number of Continental buyers has increased since last sale, and there was buying done to-day on beha'f of the leading European States, it being understood that one lot of purchases is destined for Russia. As an indication of the vigour of the market, only two small lots of Merino (a total of 12-bales) were passed in the first catalogue of 5730 bales. The demand was remarkably solid for all classes, there being no easing in the competition for either best or lowest quality. Top prices up to the dinner adjournment this evening, when 13,000 bales had been sold, were: Merino, 29 Id ; halfbred, 29d, and Corriedale 29d (records) ; three-quarter-bred, 24.{d (also a record); crossbred, 21d; Down, 25 |d. Merino pieces made up to 234 d; halfbred, f 244 d; Corriedale, 25Jd; crossbred, 144 d; halfbred bellies up to 20Ad; Merino locks to 13]d; and x crutchings to 13d. Whilst all classes of wool appreciated subantially on those of the November sale, crossbreds showed the best proportionate rise. Half bred and Corriedale improved by about 2d to 2ld, and fine and medium crossbred by from 2d to 2*fd. Pieces and general fellmongery lots showed in many cases an improvement of 2d to 3d, the average being from 2d to 2Ad. Merino sold practically at the same rates as last year. It is proposed to conclude the sale this evening, and it is probable that it will take until considerably after midnight. RANGE OF PRICES. November. December. Merino— Super .. .. —to 29:}d Medium .. 24d to 26}d 24d to 26£d Inferior .. 18d to 23$d 18| to 23Ad Corriedalc— Super .. .. 23d to 28d 25d to 29d Medium .. 19$dto22id 21Adto24jd Inferior .. 18dto21d Halfbred— Super .. .. 23d to 25|d 25d to 29d Medium .. 2lfdto24sd Inferior .. 15Ad to 19{d 17Jdto21d Three-quarterbred— Super . . .. 17d to 20|d 18|d to 24d Medium .. 14Jd to 16jfd 15fd to 17Jd Inferior .. lid to 14d 12d to 15|d Medium Crossbred—■ Super .. .. 14Ad to 16$d 16d to 19d Medium .. llfd to 14d 13Ad to 15$d Inferior 9jdtolld Hid to 13d Coarse Crossbred—Super .. HAd to 13d 13d to 15d Medium .. lOd tolled 114dt0123d Inferior .. 84dto 9sd lOjdtollid Pieces—Merino .. 18dto23|d 19dto23|d Halfbred, Ists 17idto.21Ad 19Jd to Halfbred, 2nds 13d to 17d 16d to 19d Corriedale, lsts 17dto21d 20dto25Jd Corriedale, 2nds 16idtol9£d Locks — Merino .. to 13}d Halfbred .. 6}dto B{d 6£d to Crossbreds sAdto 7d 6d to 6sd Bellies— Halfbred .. 9Adtol6Jd 16d to 20jd Crossbred .. 7d to 9£d 7d to Crutchings— Good .. lOd to 124 d IOAd to 13d Medium .. 7d to Bd to 10id CONTINENT BUYS STRONGLY. PIECES IN ACTIVE DEMAND. (Special to the Times.) CHRISTCHURCH, December 13. At to-day’s wool sale between £600,000 and £700,000 worth of wool was represented in the offering, and the auction stands out as the most successful ever held in New Zealand. Bidding came from all round the room and there was the usual number cf buyers that have operated in the Dominion since the present sales have opened. Bradford was very active and several houses appeared to have particularly elastic limits. Competition from America was not at all brisk except on occasional lines. The Continent bought strongly, but operators for Germany were hardly as keen as at the first sale of the season. Buyers were particularly keen to “secure pieces, and for this class Italian buyers were specially active, but Bradford also competed strongly for wool of this description. It is probably not too much to say that the wool offered to-day has never been equalled in the Dominion before, embracing as it does such a wide range of wools cf wonderful quality. It is certainly not too much to say that the show of wool in one broker’s store is the best that has ever been brought together in the Deminion previously. A combination of circumstances has resulted in many of the best dips that do not usually come forward until they January sale reaching the stores this year in time for the December sale. Prominent among the clips are the best known of North Canterbury halfbred and corriedale breeders’ consignments, composed principally of ewe wool and that it has come off in particularly good condition. The wool is exceptionally well grown and free from dust, despite the dry spell of weather that was experienced immediately before and during the shearing.