DEMAND FOR WOOL.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1924, Page 7

DEMAND FOR WOOL.

FIRST DUNEDIN SALE. SATISFACTORY PRICES REALISED. BLBDIXG AT TIMES ERRATIC. By Telegrapih'—Pres® Association. Dunedin, Last Night. The associated brokers report that the. first. wool sale of the seai-son was held to-day in the Burns Hall, when over 20,000 bales were offered to the largest bench of buyers seen in a local sale rooms. Recent reports from Bradford indicated quieter trade, and with the recent London sales closing weaker than at the opening of their series, the reason for the setback in the last few sales in New Zealand became apparent to sellers. The Dunedin sale compared rather more .than favourably . with the . last two or three sales just previously held. In fact, buyers expressed the opinion that voth crossbreds and halfbreds were from par .to id per lb. dearer. The bidding for crossbreds was very spirited, and also for special qualities of halfbreds and pieces, but for the general run of hclfbrede and merinos bidding was slow, though the prices paid in the end were generally satisfactory.

American orders were not much in evidence, although no doubt a proportion of suitable lots were taken for the United States of America.. . Continental operators, however, were, very much in evidence, as though Bradford, as usual, secured the bulk, of the offerings, competition from Fre.nch, German and Italian buyers prevented wools being sold under the London- equivalent. Local niilL bidding was of considerable help on lines suitable for their requirements. Naturally they prefer to buy as much as possible hi the Dunedin na-le?.. Bidding at Ijmep appeared, to be erratic, and it is d’fficult for sellers and their brokers to understand the idifferences in values made at'times by buyers, this applying niorh to ‘halfbreds and merinos- than I to ctfossibreds. - The -. wool offered wqs. superior, to the general average submitted at the first sale of the season, and in growth and soundness shqwed the benefit of the last extraordinary winter. A number of clips, however, showed the result of the drought, being dusty and earthy, no doubt due to turnip land having received less than the ordinary rainfall. The range of prices was as follows: Merino.—64-70 and 60-64 quality, extra super, 36ijd to 3SRI; super, 33Ad to 36d; average, 30d to 43d; inferior, 28Ad to 29i<l. Fine crossbred.—s B-56 quality, extra super.. 35d to 36d; super. 32£d to 36%d; average, 29A<1 to 32d; inferior, 25d to '2B.jd. Medium halfbred.—so-56 quality, extra super, 30|d to 32d; super. to 30d; average, 25£d to 28d; inferior, 23d to 25d.

' Coarser halfbred. —48-50 quality, extra super, 27 Ad to 29d; super, 26d to 27d; average. 23d to 25fd; inferior, to Fine crossbred.—46-48 quality, super, 26d to 28d; average. 23d t0.251d; inferior. 20d to-22 Ad. Medium crossbred. —44-46 ■ quality, super. 24d to 26d; average, 23d to 233 d; inferior, .19£d to ,21%d. Bellies and pieces.—Merino, good to super pieces, 24d to 30jRl; merino, good to super bellies, I9d to 25d; merino, low to medium pieces, 19d to 23d; mermo, low to medium bellies, 16Jd to ha If bred, good to super pieces. 24d to 30d; halfbred, good to super bellies, 19d to 23d; halfbred, low to medium pieces, 18d to ‘23|d; half bred, low to medium bellies, IbAd to 21 id; crossbred, good to suj er pieces, 19d to 23d; crossbred, good to, super bellies, 17d to 20d: low to medium pieces, 16d To 18d; crossbred, low to medium bellies, 15d to 16id. Crutchings. —Medium to good, 14d to 183 d; crutchings, inferior to seddy, lOd to 13Ad.

Locks. —Merino,'llJd to I.TJd: half bred, lid to 14|d; crossbred, Sd. to 12d