WOOL SALES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5115, 24 November 1894, Page 7

WOOL SALES.

The first of the present series 'of wool sales was opened at the Chamber of Commerce -Hall , yesterday afternoon. The catalogues of the various auctioneers cona-

prised 9700 bales aa against 8000 at the opening sale last year, and considerably more would have come forward but for the fact that the recent wet weather has had the effect of retarding shearing operations. Most of the English buyerß were present, as well as all the local ones, but America was not represented. Considerable improvement had been made, in the arrangements, the buyers being provided with desks, ranged in two rows in a semicircle, the back tier being raised. Before the sales were proceeded with Mr Jowetfc, on behalf of the London buyers, called attention to the inconvenience buyers were put to by some growers leaving pieces in their baleß. This, he Baid, often caused buyers to waste a considerable amount of time, and alao prevented them from bidding for clips which they were often anxious to acquire, whilst in many cases it caused a drop of Jd per lb on the wool. The sales were opened at 2.30 p.m. All the bag wool having been disposed of to local b avers, the real business' commenced at about three o'clock. The cables received from London just before the sale commenced were not of an encouraging nature, and affected business considerably. The auction opened fairly well considering the nature of the London advices, but things beoame worse affcer the first catalogue had been disposed of. The sales were continued until sis o'clock, and resumed again at seven, closing for the day just before 9 p.m., whfn six catalogues had been dealt with. Private cables received during the adjournment were to the effeot that a further fall had taken place in merino wool, which had suffered a drop of IS per cent in the London market. This had the effect of still further weakening this staple, and a good deal of what was offered did not come up to owners' reserves. Pine crOBS-breda declined quite Id per lb, other Bott3 to $-d and merinos -Jd. Very few big linea were sold, the bulk of the business done being confined to one to ten bale lots, the bulk of which was composed of odds and ends, which fell to local men. One or two lots of Buperiorwool alone evoked brisk competition, and the number of " passed" lota had a dispiriting effect on the salesmen, who, howevflr, grappled manfully with the position. A fancy line of scoured half-bred firat combing topped the market at lid aud ll^d; scoured cross -bred brought lOd and 10-|d, and scoured longwool 9d and 9Jd. In wool in the grease, beat half-bred brought from 7£d to Bsd, inferior GJd to 7£d, best crosß-bred 7}d to B}d, inferior Gd to 7d; beat longwool from G£d to 7d, inferior s^d to GJd ; beat merino from ssd to 6}-d (one lot alone reaching 7d), inferior 4*rt to s£d. Pieces brought all pricei from 2£d to s£d, bellies from 4d to sd, locka from 2d to 3d, and mixed bellies and pieces from l£d to 3|d. The principal demand appeared to be for medium to good crosf-breds, bnb owners were not prepared to accept the prices offered. The following is a Ejnopsia of the business done :— 4252 bales v/ere offered, of which 1986 were sold and 2266 withdrawn.- Mr F. C. Tabart offered 738 bales and sold 383, Messrs Pciedlander • Bros, offered 289 and Bold 169, Mr J. T. Ford offered 400 and sold 130, Messrs H. Mataon and Co. offered 942 and sold 329, Mr E. G. Staveley (in conjunction with the National Mortgage and Agency Company) offered 1008 and 'Bold 627, and Messrs Pyne and Co. offered 875 and oold 348. It will

be sren that very Lttfe time wao wasted when it is stated thab the six auctioneers who occupied the rostrum got through 1080 lota within five hourß, or an average of 216 lots per hour. The sales will be resumed at nine o'clock this morning, when Messrs Miles and Co., the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, the New Zealand Farmers' Co-op-eratiDive Association, ana Messrs Todhunter and Jennings will submit their catalogues, comprising together over 5000 bales.

iUfeKrsGoldabrougb, fitort and Company Limited, Melbourne, report to Meearß Eisley, Bros, and Co., wool-brokers, of Worcester Street, as followE : — Wool— For the paat two weeks ending Nov. 14 we •offered by public auction 14,544 bales, which sold at full current rates. The sale paused eff with great animation, the market being very firm all round, competition most spirited. The leading sales were as follows :— CroES-bred— -Park 10£ d, Glenmore 9£o*, Yarrayno 9d, Mathoura B£d, BogamUdi B£d, A W BJ<3, B Plain B|d, H LA B£d. Lamba— Lexington ll£d, Glenmore 9£d, Midkin 9d, Noorong B£d, Wynua Bd, D> C 7:>d, W 6|d. Lincolns— 7fd, Comeback Hi to 7\<i. Crqss-bred pieces up to 6sd, merino sid to 6£d. Scoured — Clothing to 14-J3, combing to 14id, first pieces to 12}-d, lamb 3to 13d. Sydney report. — The tone of bidding more animated, current values firm. The better qualities of merino have held their ground, fine clothing wool beinar very nrtn. Tho total quantity of wool offered during the week amounted to 28,233 bales. Christcburch. — With prices co ruinously low in this market and almost an absence of foreign buyers at the wool sales yesterday, we strongly advise clients to consign and secure the more satisfactory prices in Australia, which market is still ruling above London parity, as with the unusual concessions we are offering shippers, Canterbuiy wool-growers would do well to take advantage of that market. We shall be glad to give full particulars on application at our office, Maling's Building?, Worcester Street.[94l]