WOOL BOOM.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7717, 9 May 1916, Page 1

WOOL BOOM.

RECORD PRICES FOR FINE CROSSBREDS. One of the puzzling things about this series of wool sales (writes a London correspondent) has been the extreme prices realised for superior fine greasy crossbreds. Towards the end of last week the Motuotaria mark, from New Zealand, realised up to Is 11 jd, being as good 56’s to 58’s wool as has been offered in this market this season. This week similar prices have been realised for similar wools, the Kopanga mark selling at Is 10Jd to Is Hid for the first five lots, Tauroa also reached Is lid, while Morea actually fetched 2s. These big prices were the result of keen rivalry between France and tile Home trade, topmakers being usually knocked out by spinners and manufacturers. There would be nothing surprising in these values if other sorts were in relation to them, but the tops made out of the first lot of the Morea mark would cost more than- a really good spinners ’ 64’s is being made at by some of the best Bradford topmakers. Another striking discrepancy is the fact that 48’s woof has been bought to cost only about 28d to 29d clean scoured in Bradford, which means a difference for the ten counts of about a shilling. This is an abnormal gap, and is difficult to account for. Several. French mills want the wools, but there must be some big orders somewhere in Great Britain for superior hosiery, or these wools are being substituted for merinos in the fine qualities of ladies ’ dress goods. Even fine Queensland crossbreds have sold at up to Is IOJd. Apart from these superior wools, there have been some really excellent offerings of greasy crossbreds, and while it truly cannot be said that they are.making more money than was the case a week ago, they are certainly selling more freely.' Users believe that they are good stock, and it seems to he dawning upon some of them that, after all, there are not unlimited supplies in sight. For the next series, which open in less than three weeks, there are only about 60,000 bales of New Zealand wools available. The big sales in the colonies are responsible for these small weights in London, and the London trade has urged on the Government the necessity for uniform action both here and in Australasia to prevent the export of crossbreds to anywhere but Great Britain.

STILL RISING. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., have received the following 1 cablegram from their London office:—The wool sales closed witli a firm market on the sth inst. Compared with prices ruling on 17th March merino superior and lambs 5 per cent; medium inferior 15 per cent; crossbred 5 per cent to 7J per cent higher. Greasy lambs unchanged.