OPOSSUM SKIN SALE.

Wairarapa Age, 11 August 1930, Page 7

OPOSSUM SKIN SALE.

Messrs. Dalgety and Co. Ltd. report:—Our first Opossum Skin Sale of the season was held to-day when we offered a smal catalogue of all colours drawn chiefly from the Stratford, Taranaki and Rotorua districts. As the season for the Wellington district is not over till September 3, only a few consignment® were available for the sale. The quantity and the condition of the offering were medium, very few supers and first being submitted. The opossum skin market at Home is in a very depressed state and prices in London to-day are now quite 10 per cent, lower than the April -sales. It is expected that the October London sales will show a further decline of 20 per cent, to 25 per cent, and in view of this buyers to-day were very cautious, and l prices were fully 60 per cent, lower than last season's Tates. If America comes into the market, we can look for bet'ter prices especially for super blues and greys. At to-day's sale, blacks and browns were in best demand and were quitted at fair prices. The better class of greys and blues also sold fairly well. Trappers would be well advised to forward their catches to auction at first opportunity as the future of the market is very uncertain. The following is the range of prices:— blacks, 3/6 to 6/1 each; browns, 2/9 to 5/9; greys, 2/10 to 6/1; reds, 2/6 to 3/7; inferior, 6d to 1/6. Smalls, rompers, kittens and damaged skins sold at very low rates, and in some cases did not realise the royalty of Is per skin.