The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1911. THE WOOL MARKET.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 6, 16 December 1911, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1911. THE WOOL MARKET.

Referring to the sharp rise at ■ the Christchurch wool sales on Thursday last, the “Press” explains the situation by stating that the firmness that characterised the closing of the recent London' sales was an indication that the market, especially for crossbreds, was in a sound condition, but the spirited competition that existed between several sections of buyers at Christchurch gave reason to believe chat there was something more in the position than the published cable messages had indicated. The advent of the American buyers after an absence of two seasons was a welcome feature of the sale, and they in competition, especially with tine Continental section of the trade, made the sale one of the briskest ei?er held in Christchurch. Advice received by the late mail states that wool had evidently reached bottom, and that crossbred wool was likely to rule firm .it the December sales. It was also stated that the business with America in wool and manufactured goods, and especially in the former, lhad shown an increase, so that it is evident that die United States is in want of more ,vool from an outside source. In the Australian markets the keenness of the American operators for medium and coarse crossbreds has been a feature at recent sales, and French and German buyers arc also operating freely. So that wool is evidently wanted by the principal users. The advance in prices brought wool values well up to those of last year, and the fear that there would be another consideriblo drop in the returns from wool :or the whole Dominion is now pardaily dissipated. The “Press” further states that the clip will not be so large, nor the weight of the wool so great as that of last year, but the v.liarp recovery in prices, which it is to bo hoped will be maintained for die remainder of the season, should result in the shortage from the returns for wool being less than half of what was feared would bo the case. While this latter summary of the position is especially a review of the conditions in Canterbury, there is no doubt it is largely applicable to the North Island also. FROM DIFFERENT STANDPOINTS. There is naturally just now much interest and much argument as to what is actually the • position of political parties. The street-corner politician irgucs loudly that his side has won, and the sorting out and labelling process is arranged as nearly as possible to suit the views of the moment. Newspapers are in some cases hardly more reliable, and when a crisis happens, there is a little tendency to make party prospects look their brightest and to rope in very doubtful ones to the fold for the sake of numbers. It is not astonishing to find that the Wellington journals entirely disagree as to the position. 'The “X.Z. Times” makes the figures:— Ministerialists ... 35 liulep Liberal ... 1 Labour 2 Socialist ... ... 2 Opposition ... .‘l7 The “Dominion” makes- quite an-

uther story and supplies the following! table:— Refomi Party ... 37 Government ... 32 Labour ... ... 3 1 mlcpemlont ... 3 Probably neither is right,anil until the I’rco-laiiccs have declared themselves, no one can do more than hope—or guess —;incl the table wo published yesterday is the safest to go by, for the present. It is as under:— Opposition ... 3d Ministerialists ... 32 Independents ... 6 haljouritos ••• 3