DISTINCT RISE

Southland Times, Issue 22216, 8 January 1934, Page 6

DISTINCT RISE

NAPIER WOOL SALE

KEEN COMPETITION FROM CONTINENT

TOP PRICE 21i PENCE

(Per United Press Association.) Napier, January 7

Hawkes Bay and Poverty Bay sheepfarmers were jubilant at the prices realized by their offerings at the Napier wool sales yesterday. The determined and at times excitable buying among the German and French representatives sent prices upwards, and at the close of the final catalogue it could reliably be estimated that, comparatively good though the December prices were, those of the sale yesterday were better by 20 to 25 per cent. Good to super Southdown brought from 194 c to 21Jd, and this quotation electrified the crowd. One surprise was the increase among the coarser types of wool compared with previous sales. These participated in higher margins to as much as 21Jd a pmind. Lamb’s wool far exceeded the expectations of both growers and brokers Though the bidding was confined to only a few buyers, almost extreme prices were realized and 15d to 16d was quite a common rate for this class of wool. , , Southdown also was in sharp demand, and one early lot, a line of bin wool, brought 21-Jd. Dominion scourers seemed to tmd themselves out of reach, and did not operate to any marked extent. With few exceptions the continental representatives lifted the offerings of necks, pieces and bellies, and it was apparent that buyers’ representatives from continental countries had no definite limits. This was one outstanding factor in forcing the pace. , ~ , With the surprisingly high prices which were realized at the opening sale, many thought they were not to be maintained, but, with exceedingly animated competition from France and Germany, the sale concluded just as confidently as it commenced. “To-day has been a day of surprises for both growers and buyers,” said one woolgrower at the sale. “Some figures realized were twopence, threepence and in some cases fivepence, above growers’ assessments of what the various lots were worth. We had a succession of shocks and thoroughly enjoyed them. It is a long time since any of us saw such a cheering spectacle. One broker said: “Business was active on the Home market, and English manufacturers were working at capacity to fill the demand. It was apparent that wool was wanted in all parts of the world. Competition is widespread, particularly from European houses, and it looks as though buyers are in the markets without limits. Generally speaking, the actual quality of the wool offered was not so fine as at the December sale in Napier. There were stray fibre, hairy and harsh wools noticeable in the ewes, of which there was a larger quantity than at the last sale, when early-shorn hogget wool predominated. The official quotations are as follows : , , d d

WELLINGTON SALE £2,000,000 FOR FIRST SIX AUCTIONS.

The aggregate wool cheque accruing from the first Wellington wool sale of the season, held on December 7, was even greater than had been estimated. The gross realization of the 29,186 bales sold was £415,596, nearly three times greater than the amount paid out for the December sale m 1932. The official returns compiled by the Wellington Wool Brokers’ Association show that at last month’s sale 30,208 bales of wool were offered, of which 29,186 bales, or 96.61 per cent., wensold, only 1022 bales being passed. The net weight of the wool sold was 10,552,6941 b. The gross proceeds totalled £415,595 18/4. The average price a bale was £l4 4/OJ, and the average price per lb was 9.452 d. For the first three sales held in the North Island this season, at Auckland, Napier and Wellington, more than £1,000,000 was realized, compared with £397,367 last season. For the first six sales this season, including three m the South Island, it is estimated that more than £2,000,000 was paid out. The whole of the wool sold in New Zealand at the 1932-33 sales made a gross realization of £4,327,692. —Special to Christchurch Press.

Southdown — Good to super 191 to 211 Average 17 to 19 Inferior 14 to 16 Halfbred — 50’s—56’s 19 to 203 Crossbred extra fine 48’s—50’s— Super 16 to 171 Average 131 to 151 Inferior 101 to 12 Crossbred, fine 46’s —48’s— Super Average 13 11 to to 161 123 Inferior 71 to 103 Crossbred, medium 44’s—46 sSuper Average 11 9 to to 13 101 Inferior 61 to 81 Crossbred, coarse 40’s—44’s — Average 8J to 93 Lincoln average 8 Hoggets— 201 50—56’s 18 to 48’s—50’s 131 to 17 46’s—50’s 201 46’s—48’s 111 to 15 Lambs— 50’s —56’s — to 19 46’s—50’s 12 to 17 Seedy and inferior 7 to 11 Necks — Extra fine (a few choice lots) 18 to 20 Super 15 to 173 Average i 12 to 141 Pieces — Halfbred — to 17 Good to super 11 to 133 Low to medium 8 to 101 Seedy and inferior 6 to 71 Bellies— Good to super 9 to Hi Low to medium 61 to 8 Seedy and inferior Crutchings— 51 to 6} Good to super 7 to 9 Low to medium 51 to 61 Seedy and inferior 41 to 5 Locks 41 to 63