Napier Wool Sale.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXIX, Issue 5347, 3 December 1908, Page 4

Napier Wool Sale.

A Firm Market. Foreign Buyers Bidding. Good Prices Realised.

• (Own Correspondent). ‘ Napier, Tuesday “That’s an eye opener for growers, anyhow.” This remark was passed to a Pressman by one of the leading auctioneers after disposing of a fine catalogue, and served as the keynote I- of the remarkably successful opening wool sale of the season held in the Oarrisou Hall, Napier, to day. What it Means to Hawke’s Bay 1 What is meant by a rise in the price _ of the golden fleece to a sheep-grow-k ing province is fully experienced by Hawke’s Bay, where the industry has grown to be one of the greatest importance. The fact that “ Wool is up” imparts a buoyancy to trade thkt the rise and full of other products lD fails to effect. The recent Welling[y ton, Christchurch and Auckland sales aB have shown a rising market and local o- woolgrowers, who may fairly challenge N competition as far as quality is conjo cerned, have looked to the hardening g of the London market to further improve their prospects. When the first catalogue was offered by Messrs Wenley and Lanauze this morning it was seen that the market had the electrical touch of buoyancy, _ and the fine price of 12Jd was reached for a choice lot of fine crossbred. The feature of the sale was the keen American competition, which greedily snapped up fine light wools well classed, and the coarser qualities well n classed and in good condition, prices 1 for these sorts as compared with the last Napier December sales being 2d 8 per lb higher. , 0 Curious Features. In some respects the sale was a most extraordinary one. As com pared with the prices at the London September sales average coarse wools suitablo for Bradford were Id to 2d per lb higher, but as compared * with the sale held in Napier last December prices for these sorts were Id lower. This shows that the fall from December last year to September must have been very severe. Pieces sold up to 6d per lb, which is a to Id per lb above last December rates and, of course, much higher than London September j prices. There was an exceedingly large number of buyers present, representing English, American, and Continental firms, and the local firms were also represented. Messrs Williams and Kettle were the largest sellers and offered a catalogue of bales out of the total of 6700£ bales offered. The wool r auctioned by this firm attracted good f competition and nice prices were obtained. Some bales of fine crossbred sold on behalf of Mr F. H. Drower, Waipukurau, brought the same price being given for lots offered on behalf of Mr R. Ward, Patangata, and Mr Addis, Patangata. Range of Prices. Fine crossbred — Super, lOd to 12Jd. Medium, 8d to 9d. Crossbred — Super, 8d to lOd. Medium and inferior, sjd to.Bd. Pieces sold well up to 6d for good quality and locks up to 3d for good , quality and 2d to 3d medium. The neat sum of 12jd ruled as the top price throughout the sale and amongst others this was obtained by 1 the Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Co-opera- J tive Association on behalf of the late ; Mr W. H. Small, Kaikora. j Williams and Kettle. Messrs Williams and Kettle, Lim- ( ited, report : —We held our first wool salo of the season to-day, when we offered 1736 bales, all of which were sold under the hammer with the exception of 120 bales, which were " passed in. There was a large attendanco of buyers from America, England, the Continent, and southern and local mills. A feature of the sale was the keen competition for all lots of wool suitable for the American market, and for the best qualities of fine crossbreds we got prices ranging from lOd to Coarse crossbreds also allowed a considerable rise in prices as compared to the closing rates of \ ►September and equal to the prices obtained in this market at the December sale of 1907. The condition of IJ the wool throughout is much hotter than it was last year, being hotter grown and in splendid order. A few lots showed that no care had been taken in skirting und we feel certain

diat had a little more Attention been paid to this higher prices would have been got for these lots. We would take this opportunity of mentioning that American buyers do not care to purchase wool where locks and pieces ire shown in the fleece. Attached we give you range of prices obtained :

Loan and Mercantile. The Loan and Mercantile Company report—The opening sales ol the present season were held at the Garrison Hall to day, when the associated brokers offered catalogues aggregating 6700 bales, this quantity being by 1233 bales less than were offered at the corresponding series last year. There was the usual full attendance of buyers anc before the start of the sales we coulc hear that further improved news hac come from the consuming centres, sc that we were not surprised to see the tone of the auction was distinctly better than at recent sales in othei centres of the Dominion, while Lon don values were surpassed in practic ally every class. As a result we sole all but four small lots on our catalogue under the hammer. The report tha the Bradford and Continental buyer’: principals have within the past fev days received extensive forward or ders for early execution—the opinioi being hazarded that these are prob ably on account of military require ments —may doubtless explain til keen demand from these quarters We are, however, inclined to th< opinion that the decided rise in val ues is by the restored confidence ii American manufacturing circles con sequent upon the result of the recen Presidential election. We feel there fore, that the general result of th day’s sale is due to that insisten American demand which must hav the best wools and look sharply t Hawke’s Bay to supply them. Th character of our catalogue was suffi ciently representative of the Hawke’ Bay district to enable us to form th opinion that, tuken as a whole, th condition and appearance of the woe show a very great improvement a compared with that offered in las year’s catalogue. Shabby, wasty, and earthy wool are not so much in evidence this yeai and as a rule clips are much brighte and more attractive than those i: the previous season, although rathe heavier in grease. The following i our range of prices as compared wit] the corresponding sale of last year 1907. 1901 d. d. Half bred, up to 10 J 10 Crossbred line, up to 91 1U „ up to 9 9 „ coarse, up to 8:} 7 Pieces, up to .. 7 j 5 Bellies, up to 7-i 5 Locks, up to 4 3 Crossbred (dead), up to ... 7] (5

xbds, good ... 1907. d. d. 9| to 11 1908. d. d. 10 to 12} medium . ... 8 „ 91 9 „ 9? inferior fi} 71 H „ 7 a rse xbds 71 „ 8-1 7 „ 8a medium 6} „ 7} 5f „ 7 368, 1st qual ... 5f .. 71 4*4 „ 5 2nd „ 41 „ 51 3 „ 4. cs 2} „ i\ la „ 3