FIRST WOOL SALE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 14, 17 January 1936, Page 6

FIRST WOOL SALE

YESTERDAY’S EVENT LARGE CROWD AT DRILL HALL Poultry and dog shows are noted for the volume of noise which they produce, but the overseas’ wool ouyers at the first Wanganui wool sa'le of tho season iu the Drill Hall yesterday had thcte events eclipsed in both volume and variety of noise. There were shrill voices, harsh voices, guttural voices and high and low voices emitting bids punctuated with wild gesticulations calculated to attract the attention of the selling auctioneer. A lot number would be called and before the words were nut of the auctioneer's mouth there would follow a cliorub of yells and barks until t/he seller sorted out the highest bid. Arms would be waved in the air, pouted to the mouth to in crease the volume of thv bid cr pointed wildly at the auctioneer’s dais. There was a bench of well over 6u buyers and the din arising from the tiers of benches wins constant, al though iLs intensity varied with the value of the wool being offered. Some buyers drawled out the bids, others uttered high-pitched yells, while others were content to express their feelings lews vociferously unless the bidding for a particular lot was brisk when fbey joined in and lent their weight to the general clamour. To the general spectator tire task of the auctioneers was no sinecure and how they deciphered the wishes of the buyers was a mystery to many, who found it difficult to follow even the purchasing price*:. Throughout the day there was a large throng of spectators at the back of the hall and at times their murmuiings interfered with the sale and the auctioneers were obliged to make requests for silence. At one stage during the morning the din at U>e Tear of the ball reached such a pitch that frequent appeals for . silence were necessary and eventually one of the buyers rose from his scat and, walking over to a group of onlookers, in no uncertain terms requested them Lu be sitent. Again during the afternoon several appeals were necessary at one stage and an English buyer was prompted to call out: ‘‘Go home and milk your cow?.” A large percentage of the audience was comprised of farmers who were watching the run of ihe sale and, especially, were interested in the prices commanded by their own lots ot wool. Also there were many listeners W'hu attended the sale merely out of curiosity and fur them the din of tho buyers provided an enjoyable, and, at times, humorous form of entertainment. The sale must have been of considerable benefit to city retailers lur many hundreds of farmers, including producers from outside districts, were attracted to the city. Naturally, they had to have meals and the temptation to spend, especially when they had re'ceived satieJactory to good prices for their clip, unloosened many a purse string. Thursday is not usually a busy day in "Wanganui, but yesterday the Avenue presented a busy scene and by the crowds about it appeared like a dale day.