FARM CHAT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2028, 14 August 1920, Page 18 (Supplement)

FARM CHAT.

THE WOOL SALES. The resumption of ordinary trading conditions, 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. Officially, the wool commandeer ended on June 30. but the Prime Minister recently concluded an arrangement whereby the purchasing agreement was Attended 1o September SO, by which date all wool, sheepskins and freezing companies' slipe wool submitted to appraisement at brokers' stores will lie purchased on behalf of the Imperial Government. This has had a steadying effect on the skin market. On (hat date valuations on behalf of the Imperial Supplies Department will definitely cease. The payments for wool —greasy, Bcoured, sli|.e and sheepskins—to June 30. 1920, totals r.6t>,12i>.000, to which has to be added C1.i12n.000 as the growers' half of the )>rolits, made up to ( March "1. 1019. by the Imperial Government on its sales of wool to manufacturers for civilian requirements. The iotal is £61,744.99:'., and the profits on tfool sold subsequent to March 31, 1919, bave to be added to this sum. The general rule governing the ordinary tvool sales has been observed by the. [niperial Government, 'prompt" date being 14 days after the appraisement. The time the wool stayed iu store subrequent to being valued and paid for Bid nor, concern the grower, except

that it probably had the effect of reducing ihe half-share profits. Doubtless, storage charges upon wool have been heavy. It is expected that from 300,000 to' 170.000 bales of wool will remain in the Dominion when the new season 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 on hand, with the accumulation of wool in England and Australia, it may be expected that existing "easy" renditions 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, but Ihey are subject to alteration. The dates and places, together with the •piantities of wool appraised for the 12 months ended June 30, 1920, at the various centres, are as follow: — Napier.—November 1, December 1. January :S. February 0, March 12; 71,701 hales (including Walroa). Wellington.—November 8, December (5, December 30, January 31, March 3j 120,280 bales (including Waitara, Bienheim, and Nelson). Christcburcb.- November 12. December 10. January 13, February 10, March 17; 08,017 bales. Timaru.—November 18. December 15, January :>.">, February 28; ::.'t.o;i2 bales. Auckland.—November 23, February 3, March 7; 34,891 bales. Wanganui.—November 20. January 0. February 4, March 0; 41,220 hales. Dunedln.—December 20, January 18, February 21, March 23; 04.125 bales (including Oamani). Invercargill.—January 21, February 21; 20.051 bales. Gisborne.—No dates allotted for the present; 17.777 hales (including Tokomaru Hay mid Tologa Bay). The oversea freights for the new clip are out, and naturally they show a substantial increase, in comparison with pre-Wav figures. Fortunately, they are not as high as the Imperial Government paid for the carriage of wool during the requisition period. The new freights are as follow: 1014 1920 per lb. per lb. Creasy 11-10,1 ljd Scoured 3d 2id 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 meat .. ~ ~ -., ~ 49,809,175 Cheese, 1915-10 season .. ~ .. 018,101 Cheese, 1010-17 season .. ~ ~ 3,271,982 Cheese, 1017-18 season ~ .. ~ 5,013,205 Cheese, 1018-10 season .» .. .. 5,605,780 Cheese, 1010-20 season 11,112,02!) Butter, 1917-18 season ~ ~ .. 2,829,032 Butter, 1918-19 season .. ~ .. 2,928,685 Nutter, 1019-20 season 2.75(i,ic,r> (Butter Equalisation Funds ~ 887,557 iScheelite .. 178,481 Wool 50,572,974 I freezing companies' slipc wool ~ 7,197,232 Sheepskins 2.922,400 Hides 735,003 Sundries 908,952 j Other business (non-Imperial) .. 810,080 ("■rami tolal 113,077,205 Stock Jottings. Owing to it being National Week, no stock sales have been held in Canter(bury, but advices from other centres indicate a firm tendency in stock I values. Tn the North Island ewes are 'selling at good figures, Up to 48/-' has 'been paid for four-year-old ewes in North Wairarapa, and for good ewe hoggets to •';()/') on the west, coast of the North Island. At a special sale, of hoggets recently at Sandon, when 19,000 were submitted, values were from 30/to 32/- for good sheep, very fair sheen 27/0 to 29/-, fair 20/- to 27/-, and medium 2.'i/(> to -ii/-. The Kiecnrton Estate points out that the big bullock sold on account: of the estate at the last Addington sale for £97 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 J. Knight, and slaughtered.