Wool Markets.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5279, 8 June 1895, Page 7

Wool Markets.

It will be remembered that strenuous efforts were made last wool season, by a well-known firm of Australian brokers, to induco New Zealand wool-growers to consign their clips to Melbourne, and test their fortune there,

in preference to soiling in the local market. These efforts were cot attended by much success, but a certain number of sheepownera, who could afford to try a rather hazardous experiment, entrusted thoir wool to the outside brokers, and the results of their vf ntures were ascertained a few days ago. It is difficult, of course, to establish a precise comparison between Melbourne and Christchurch sales, but Messrs Todhunter and Jennings have succeeded in showing by sctual figures that the grower who sold hero fared very much better than the grower who shipped to the neighbouring market. Tbey have taken for tho purposes of their illustration the clip of a gentleman who, in 1893-9* l, sold 100 bale's of half-bred and merino wool in Christchurch, and in 1894-95 consigned the samo quantity— rather better, if anything, in staple and condition— to Melbourne. Tbo returns are instructive. The average neb weight of tho bales in each case was 3751 b, and the other figures were ss follow : —

Cbristcliurch.— Average Det return to grower per bale, £0 2s 10il ; average net price per lb, s*ft(d ; total brokers' charges per bale, Cs Id; total selling charges per lb, o*l9d. Melbourne. — Average not return per bale, £6 4a 3d; average, net price perlb, 3'9d; total oost of selling in Melbourne (including steamer freight) per bnle,£l 3s 3d ; total co3t of selling m Melbourne por lb, 074-ld.

The effect of the.a figures is to show that the average net price (584 d) realised in Christchurch in 1894 wes l*94d better than the price (3*9 d) realised ih Melbourne in 1895. ' But ..gainst this we mu9t place the decline in values between the two dates, which is estimated at 15 per cent or o*B7d, and reduces the difference in favour of Chrißtchurch to l*o7d per lb. Mea.rs Todhunter and Jennings, with the assistance of one of the sufferers by the enterprise of the Melbourne brokers, have made out a cose for the local market which no amount of plausible advertising is likely to seriously disturb.