A SLIGHT DECLINE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20012, 1 December 1927, Page 7

A SLIGHT DECLINE

PRICES EASIER Values at Christchurch Wool Sala BRADFORD PROMINENT. [ Per Press Association. ] CHRISTCHURCH. Nov. 30. The first of the Christchurch wool sales for the season was held to-day, when a catalogue of 13,800 bales, mostly halfbred, was offered. As the sale yeas the first hold in the Dominion at which there was a large offering of the finer classes of wools, *it was generally expected that very keen competition would result. However, there was nothing remarkable in 'she way of prices, but in view of the market in the North Island it was a sound sale. Hogget wool and super classes of fins wools were easier than at Auckland by up to Id a pound, but fine crossbred wool, and, particularly pieces, fully maintained the prices obtained at the northern sales. Bradford. Buyers Active. In the earliej stages of the sale Continental buyers dominated the position, securing the bulk of the first two catalogues, but thereafter, when the greater quantity of the better class wools was | offered, local mills were very strongly in evidence and Bradford buyers made their presence felt to an improved iegree. America also bought more freely than apparently was the case in the North Lsland. Local fcllmongcrs had difficulty in obtaining anything to handle at a profit. The passings did not amount to more than 2£ per cent, of the total offering. The bulk of the passings were in the first catalogue, and towards the end of the sale very little of the offering was not sold. Most of the lots passed in the early stages were subsequently sold. Easing in Values. The casing in values of the super wools has been attributed to the uncertainty of the shipping position in Australia, on account of the watersiders’ dispute. This, at least, kept one of the prominent Australian, buyers off the market.

Of the Continental buyers, France was the most prominent, securing a larger share of tho offering than any other buying element. Tho local mills took a large quantity of fine wools, but the distribution of buying was fairly even. Values were up by from 2d to 3id a lb compared with, the March sale, and by 4d to 4Ad compared with, the ojjpniiig sale of last year. Borne oi the specially choice wools showed a bigger margin than this, however but they constituted only a small proportion of the offering. The top price of the sale was for 15 bales of halfbred. The top Corriedale price was 25|d for 15 bales and the best Merino figure was 35d. Corricdale pieces made to 23jd, and the top price for fine crossbred was 211 d. Down wool made up to 22d and medium crossbred to ISid. Crossbred pieces made to 13-}d, half bred bellies to 18-jd, fine locals to lid, and halfbred ciutchtngs to Range of Prices. The following was the range of

prices;— Merino, 60/64 — Super .. . . 22 to 23} Average •• •« • • • • 194 to 211 Inferior .. •« •• .. 17 to 19 Corriedale— Super .. .. .. .. .. 22 to 25J Average .. .. .. .. .. 19 J to 21} Inferior • • •• — •• •• 17 to 19 Pine Crossbred, 56/58 — Extra super 24 to Super 21} to 2oi Average .. • • . . .. . . 19 to 21 Inferior .. .. ... .. .. 17} to 18} Medium Halfbred, 50/56 — Extra super 22 to 23$ Super .. .. .. .. .. .. 20 to 21} Average »• •« .. .. • • 18 A to 19$ Inferior .. .. ... .. .. 16 to 10 Coarse Halfbred, 48/50 — Extra super .. .. .. .. 19} to .201 Super .. .. .. .. .. .. 18 to 1.4-i Average .. •• •• . . 16 A to 17 $ Inferior .. .. 15 to 16 Pine Crossbred, 46/48 — Super 16i to 17} Average .. 15 to 16$ Inferior .«, 13i to 14* Medium Crossbred, 44/46 — Super 15 J to Average . • •« • • .. .. 14 to J.ui Inferior .. .. .. .. • • 12i to ia;Coarse Crossbred, 40/44 — Super 13* to 14* Average .. .. .. .. .. 12} to 13 ; Inferior .. .. — .. .. 111 to 12} Bellies and Pieces— Merino: Good to super •• •• 17 to 21} Low to medium .. •• 15 to 16 i HaJfbred: Good to super .. .. 15 to 18} Low to medium •• 13 to 14} Half bred pieces: Good to super .. — .. 181 to 24 Low to medium .. ... 13 to 18 Crossbred: Good to super .. .. 13 to 16 Low to medium .. •• 10 to 12} Crwtchiugs— Medium to good .< -- .. 8} to 14 Inferior and seedy •• 7 tb 8} Locks— Halfbred .. .. — •• 8} to 10} Crossbred 6| to 8