WOOL MARKET

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20064, 22 March 1935, Page 8

WOOL MARKET

FOURTH WELLINGTON AUCTION LOWER GRADES EASIER By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, March 21. Contrary to expectations, prices held fairly well at the fourth wool sale of the season in Wellington to-day. In some lines of crossbreds prices were even a shade better than at the February sale. The total offering catalogued was 22,000 bales, mainly average top- making wools with a small quantity of halfbreds and a few lots of merino and better class crossbreds. Lambs’ wool was not up to the level of previous sales and prices suffered accordingly. There was a full bench of buyers representative of all sections of the trade. Bidding throughout the auction was vigorous and keen, and at times excited. Bradford buyers worked hard and bought largely, though operators on Canadian account keenly competed for the better class Romneys. Continental buyers forced the pace on all lots suitable for their requirements. France and Belgium were strong buyers of all grades, particularly fine wools, lambs, bellies, pieces and scouring lots. Japanese orders were meagre. Dominion mills operated keenly for halfbreds and lambs wools. Compared with the February sale, average to inferior merinos were from a farthing to a penny lower, fine halfbreds were a halfpenny to three farthings down, and medium halfbreds par to a halfpenny lower. Extra fine crossbreds were a farthing to a halfpenny lower, but fine and medium crossbreds sold at par to a farthing advance. Coarse and low crossbreds showed practically no change. Prices for lambs’ wool were very irregular and up to a penny lower. Bellies and pieces were from par to a farthing lower, and locks declined a halfpenny. Crutchings sold very well, top price being 6d for an interlotted line. Top price of the sale was 12£d for a binned line of “Pipitea” super Southdown. Many lines of super crossbreds made 8d to Bid. Good hogget was firm, top price being 9d. Taking into account the general quality of the wool offered and the present state of the market, the sale was a very good one. Growers were more inclined to meet the market with a result that a substantial clearance was made. Official Range of Prices. The official range of prices is as follows. February prices being shown for purposes of comparison:— Feb. Mch. d. d. d. d.

Merino— Super 124 to 144 Average .. .. 94 to 104 9 to 96 Inferior .. .. 84 to 9 7 to 8 Fine half bred 56Super 58— 11 to 124 10 to 124 Average .. . . 94 to 104 8 to 92 Inferior . . . . 75 to 9 7 to 7S Medium halfbred Super 50-56— 105 to 102 10 to 101 Average .. .. Ti to 10 72 to 92 Inferior .. .. 55 to 75 52 to 74 Extra fine crossbred 48-50 — Super 84; to 9 72 to 82 Average .. .. 63 to 8 66 to 76 Ir.::rior . . . . 45 to 65 45 to 64 Fine Crossbred 46-48 — Super 7 to 84 7 to 84 Average .. .. 53 to 63 53 to 63 Inferior . . . . 4 to 55 4 to 54 Medium Crossbre Super X 44-46— 6 to 75 64 to 74 Average .. .. 5 to — 53 to 6 Inferior .. .. 33 to 43 33 to 42 Coarse Crossbred Super 40-44— 53 to 7 52 to 7 Average .. .. 44 to 55 45 to 55 Inferior . . . . 34 to 44 24 to 44 I v crossbred 36Super 40— 54 to 55 5 to r 5 % Average .. .. 44 to 5 4 to 42 Hoggets— 48-50 63 to 10 55 to 9 46-48 65 to 94 55 to 8 44-46 5 to 71 41 to 74 40-14 44 to 63 5 to 64 36-40 41 to 51 — Lambs— Down 50-56 . 7 to 104 64 to 114 Fine 44-50 7 to 93 55 to 9 Medium 40-55 55 to 7 34 to 64 Seedy and inferior 2 to 63 25 to 54 Bellies and pieces— Merino good to super 6 to 105 Low to medium 53 to 84 52 to 65 Halfbred good to super 6 to 85 — to 82 Low to medium 4 to 74 3 to Crossbred good to super 4 to 61 3 a to 6 Low to medium 25 to 45 25 to 4 Crutchings— Medium to good 44 to 6 44 to 64 Inferior and seedy 12 to 4 2 to 4 Locks— Merino .. .. — to 55 Halfbred .. . — to 31 Crossbred .. .. 2 to 33 25 to 34