FARM CHAT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2028, 14 August 1920, Page 2

FARM CHAT.

THE WOOL SALES. ✓* The resumption of ordinary trading eonditious, so far as wool is concerned, will take place on September 30, and the New Zealand Woolbrokers' Association has drawn up a preliminary itinerary of sales for the coming season. OfnYialiv, the wool connnarideer ended on June 30, but the Prime Minister recently concluded an arrangement ■Whereby the purchasing agreement was extended to September 30, by which date nil wool, sheepskins and freezing companies' slipe wool submitted to appraisement at brokers' stores will be purchased ou behalf of the Imperial Government. This has had a steadying effect on the skin market. On that date valuations on behalf of the Imperial Supplies Department will definitely cease. The payments for wool—greasy, scoured, slipe and sheepskins—to dune 30. 1020, totals £60.125,000, to which Las to be added £ 1,620,000 as the growers' half of the profits, made up to Starch 31, 1019, by the Imperial Government on its sales of wool to manufacturers for civilian requirements. The )otnl is £61,744,903, and the profits on vool sold subsequent to March .11. 1019, have to be added to this sum. The general rule governing the ordinary wool sales has been observed by the Imperial Government, 'prompt'' date being 14 days after the appraisement. The time the wool stayed in store subicqueut to being valued and paid for lid not concern the grower, except that it probably had the effect of reaming the half-share profits. Doubtless, storage charges upon wool have been heavv. If is expected that from 160,000 to' 170.000 bales of wool wiil remain in the Dominion when the newseason commences. Naturally, this factor will have to be taken into consideration by buyers. This quantity is equal to a third of a season's clip, and, with half a million bales of new season's wool ou hand, with the accumulation nf wool in England and Australia, it may be expected that existing "easy'' conditions will continue. No doubt steps will be taken by the New Zealand 'Government to secure something in the nature of an allocation of wool space, and that boats will carry a proportion of growers' and Government wools. "With an easy market at Home, it is to be hoped that some regulation of quantities placed upon the market will be decided upon. Approximate dates for sales in the Dominion have been drawn up, bur they, are subject to alteration. The elates and places, together with the quantities of wool appraised for the 12 months ended June 30, 1020, at the various centres, are as follow: —

Napier.—November 4, December 1. January 3. February 9, March 12; 71,701 bales (including Wairoa). Wellington.—November S. December 6. December 30. January 31, March 3; 12fi,281i bales (including Waitara, Blenheim, ami Nelson). Christchurch.—November 12, December 10. January 13, February Hi, March 1-; 158,017 bales. Timaru.—November IS. December 15, January 2."., February 28: 33.032 bales. Auckland.—November 23, February 3, March 7; 34,891 bales. Wanganui.—November 20, January 6. February 4. March 9; 41.226 bales. Duneilin. —December 20. January 18. February 21. March 23; 04,425 bales (including Oamaru). Invercargill.—January 21, February 24; 215,051 bales. Gisborne.—No dates allotted for the present; 47.777 bales (including Tokomaru Bay and Tologa Bay). The oversea freights for the new clip are out, ami naturally they show a substantial increase, in comparison with pre-War figures. Fortunately, they are not as high as the Imperial Government paid for the carriage of wool during the requisition perio'i. The new freights are as follow; 1914 1920 per lb. per lb. Greasy 11-10 d ltd Scoured Jd 2Jd A point that will be of particular interest is whether the larger growers will return to their former policy of

consigning to London or patronising the New Zealand sales. Big Figures. The volume of business conducted by the Imperial Supplies Department has a particular interest for all fanners,, as the payments are practically all for farm produce. The figures to July 31 are:—- £ Frozen ment .. ~ -.. .. ~ 49,81)9,175 Cheese, 1915-10 season .. ~ ~ 918,10-1 Cheese, 11110-17 season ~ „ .. 3.271,982 Cheese. 1917-18 season ',,013,295 Cheese, 1918-19 season 5,6(15,730 Cheese, 1919-20 season ~ ~ .. 0,112,029 Hutter, 1917-18 season .. ~ ~ 2,829,032 I nutter. 1918 19 season 2.928,(585 Butter, 1919-20 season 2,756,105 ! Butter Equalisation Funds ~ 887,557 Schcclitc 178,-181 Wool 50.572,974 'Freezing companies' slipe wool .. 7.197,2.'i2 Sheepskins 2,922,400 Hides 7:i.-,,f»r.:i Sundries ~ 908.952 [Other business (non-Imperial) .. 819,089 Grand total 1i:!,077,205 Stock Jottings. ! Owing to it being National Week, no stock sales have been held in Canterbury, but advices from other centres | indicate a firm tendency in stock values. In the North Island ewes are selling at good figures. Up to 48/- lias been paid for four-year-old ewes in North Wairarapa, and for good ewe hoggets to 36/6 on the west coast of the North Island. At a special sale of hoggets recently at Sandon, when 19,000 were submitted, values were fiom 30/to :t2/- for good sheep, very fair sheep 27/6 to 20/-, fair 26/- to 27/-. and medium 23/6 to 25/-. The Riccarton Estate points out that the big bullock sold on account of the ■ estate at the last Addington sale for £O7 is a different beast to that which made £IOO at the National sale a year previously. The animal sold on that occasion for £IOO was purchased by Mr .1. Knight, and slaughtered.