THE WELLINGTON WOOL SALES

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12856, 11 December 1912, Page 3

THE WELLINGTON WOOL SALES

(From our Special Correspondent.)

Thursday last, in the WfilTiinig^osi wool stores, was a scene of more thlan ordinary interest. As one walked tbnough the "alley-ways" between tier ©ifter tier of 'bales, all ready for'tihe inspection of tihe comipeibing buyers, i^ was vp.ry evident that -farmers are beginning t» recogmse that they hlave in the Dominion, and just iclase at hand,, tlie best means of placing /their wool before the representatives of the fwoo]len mamifacturinig industries cf the world. It was easy to pick out the jo-' viail reipr€aenita:tive cf, o\w YorkshiTO friends, and tiie more cxcittable Oonitinential buyere, ■whilst our American cou'iiins had their ire>pre&en'tiativesi also, a'lfl. keenly ini?pe>ctang the staple, etspeoially for the requirement of t/heir respective markets, taking ouifc Handful aftor handful of the fle,ece, moting carefully the length, the condition of the staple, the absence," or, as ts so often the ease, the prcisence of cofcbed1 and seecl'v fleeces, and with a keen in&ighit wihich only . men. oif experionca can give, the pergentiage of "deaii Scoured'" wool" he espetets each ilot to yield, for your wool buyer seas .only, in"his mind, the production of ,to<rs from all (his piirch?.scs.

Welil-known brands, which hiave appeared in the stores season af-ter sanwti, axe hfaiiled as did iacquaißftarices, for yottr wool buyer is great on ibraiidß, and can carry in hiis nuind, iready to be brought out at any time for reference, the vagaries of the fanner in the distin'cftive brand he adopts for his bales : and here kit me pretts home with all the weight possible, fhe «bsolute need of keeping to your (brand, let ift be you-r trade-mark, and let it stand for all that a buyer wants. aTteoTutely honest packing, care in the handling of tho fleeces, so thiat .no extraneous miattar u'li the way of locee string or rubbish of any kind, shall get into the fcale,saund staiple,.and when your bnaai'd a,ppoara season after season, instead of having to pull the wool out to see if it. is as catalogued, he knows there is no dfoiiibt sa/bout it,, and yo.ur rettuains ■accardin-g to miarket rates are assured.

It is an education for any grower to apend a day going, through tlhe storeys, noting -carefully the "get up" of the .wool, the varieties, the vernations of even the same breeds, the eomdiittion of th,3 otaipie, then endeavour to form some estimate of values, and test, it by the prices realiised in the saleroom. He will &co the buyers keen aejiarnsks, noting the fiaults, "the <fge>h up," andi 'genicral eliaraotieristies of the various lots, all'to be u^ed, 'even, when tihe strain- of eompetiton is brought to bear on. the morrow. I hold no ferief for tha brokers, but to my mind rtihe truest test of value .must bo to place the iwooil for coanpatiition in the open market, where so many buy ens arc keen to secure as bis: a share- ia'o_ possible., and all knowing values to a nicety 3 all eagerly availing themselves of the Cjpiportun'ity to claim it &s their own: We hear muic;!a faibout "selling in the-shed," but siirely the competition of one man must ibe very-poo.il wihen put a&njgjswle tho knowledge of your broker, ami the eagerness oi forty or fifty .buyers, all ready to get youir. woicl for their own particular clients. The scene in the concert chamber of the TorATi Hall oa Friday was one. not easily forgotten.- When all fth© seafe had _ been nxedi'to the likin,g of 'both! auctaoneeru and buyers alike, and the first eatial'ogiue was put-up, there was a record a^tead'anc© of sixty-one Ibuyers, ropresenftaitive of all the coloniial .millls, fell mongers, and the wibjoile of the woolconsruming indiustii'ies'of tihs world. Lot 1 was called, and immediately there was a scene which foretold wihait was to be. In their- eiagernesii to (claim the .attention of the. auctioneer, ibuyens were on their feet, calling thenoffers in tWmost strident tones. "tXinepeniee, niaie-one, nine-Wo, tempemicei/ ten-tiwo," were roared put in dlmost every conceivable tone, iintifl 'the limit having been reached, the auctionc-ar,! called the price and the name ,of the buyer, and blfore he couild call anotiher lot number, .buy-ea-s- ,were already compotiiiig for it. Before long coats woro throw.ii off, hats and collars discarded, and am- adjournmenit for lunch having been arranged, breathing time gained" After ai!>out fifteen minutes' .rest, a fr&sh catalogue was offered, and there was not the slightest aibatsment to the excited co-mipe'tiitioir as lot after lot 'was called and disposed of. At aibout 12.M,) the series Was finished, "thwtt is, witih tho exception of "the "star lots," .whites* wovx'ld bo offered later in the day, Bro-kei-s and buyers lingered round discussing prices and particular offerings, ; whiist growers,-"their faces all smiles/ congratulri'ted themselves .on .haivdng offered thsir wool at what is tho 'best wool sale ever held in Wellington, and over 11,000 .bales had passed from -groiweir to. buyer, both being well inleiased with their bargains.