KEEN COMPETITION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 39, 16 February 1939, Page 8

KEEN COMPETITION

WOOL AT WELLINGTON Values At Level Of January Auction YORKSHIRE AND CONTINENT BUY HEAVILY | Per P.ea* Aa»ociation 1 WELLINGTON, Feo. 15. Keen bidding within generally rigid limits and an excellent clearance at prices about on a par with those of the January auct.n. were the main features of the third Wellington wool sale of the 1938-39 series held to-day. Spirited competition, which was well maintained right through the sale, was evidence of the strong demand for wool from all sections of the trade. Yorkshire and the Continent were again the mainstays of the market, their representatives taking a large proportion of the offerings. New Zealand mills were buyers of lambs’ wool and crossbreds suitable to their requirements. The sale was fast and noisy, the bulk of the offerings of 24.300 bales being cleared when the luncheon adjournment was taken, leaving only one catalogue to be sold in the afternoon.

Growers’ valuations proved that they were generally prepared to meet the market. Passings were few and far between and a clearance of 96 per cent, of the offering was made. Very few outstanding clips were on offer, the wool being mainly average topmaking sorts from the Wairarapa and Manawatu districts with a small showing of Merinos and halfbreds from Marlborough and Nelson. There was a better selection of lambs’ wool than at the January sale but the quality of the other wools offered was not so good as at that auction. Not a few clips showed the effects of the hard season.

The sale went at a fast pace from the start, the first catalogue of some 350 lots totalling .3400 bales being

cleared in barely 40 minutes. It was noticeable that for the general run of wool offering buyers’ limits were very rigid, biddings for many lots ending with several buyers at the same figure. Occasionally however, one or two buyers ran some particularly wanted lot up to a»> outstanding price. It is reported that some orders were filled for Japan and the United States, but as such buying is done through certain firms it is difficult to say in their case where the wool is going.

Taking the quality of the offering into account, it can be said that prices were generally on a level with those of the January’ sale at Wellington. Following that sale there was a decline of about «d a lb. at the Wanganui, Auckland and Christchurch auctions but a recovery was

seen at Invercargill and Dunedin. To-day’s prices were on a par with those of Dunedin for comparable sorts and some grades were slightly above the Wellington January rates and others were *d to id lb lower, but in general there was little change. Lambs’ wool and bellies and pieces were fully firm, good crutchings were a little easier but inferior sorts held their ground.

Good clearances have been made at most sales this season and up to the end of January the quantity of wool sold was about 33,700 bales in excess of that for the corresponding seven months of last season. Of the total of 24,317 bales offered to-day. 2.3.377 bales were sold.

Outstanding prices were 13£d for 10 bales of A crossbred, brand DC/W. 13id for 13 bales of crossbred brand H in diamond. H.C. over P. 13d for a line of 18 bales of lambs’ wool, the grower being M. G. Moore and Son, Wairarapa. Range of Prices Following is the official range of prices those for January being shown for comparative purposes: - Merino. 64/70. 60/64

WOOLBROKERS’ REPORT [ Pei Press dissociation. | WELLINGTON, Feb. 15. The Woolbrokers’ Association leports that the third Wellington wool sale was held to-day, when catalogues I comprising 24,300 bales were offered Ito a full and representative bench of [buyers. Competition was exceptionally keen. Bradford and the Contingent operating freely, with Japan in the market. America was operating I sparingly. Prices were practically on a par for all grades with the last Wellington sale. The offering comprised mostly topmaking wools of average type with a few outstanding clips. Many clips showed the effects of the weather : and were discoloured and carried [dust. The bulk of the wool comprisled crossbreds from the Manawatu 1 ■and Wairarapa. with the usual quota ■of halfbreds from Marlborough and Nelson. Bellies and pieces were fully firm !on the last Wellington prices. Good, icrutchings were slightly easier, while i inferior and seedy sorts showed a ■[slight appreciation. There was a good demand for lambs wool and prices | [were firm on January. Growers were (prepared to meet the market, with a, | realisation under the hammer of approximately 96 per cent. ; Chimney Decapitated. I The top of the Invercargill gas 'works chimney was brought down on 'Friday afternoon. The upper portion 'of the 93-feet chimney was recently 'condemned, and an experienced Dunedin steeplejack was engaged to carry out the difficult work of removing tons of brick and masonry for a distance of 15 feet. The condemned portion of the chimney was found to be in a bad state and the steeplejack was able to remove several bricks with his hands, but when the final test came the stack proved to be very stout’ and the top came off only after a considerable section of the brick‘work had been removed and with the combined efforts of several men with a rooe and tackle.

Jan. Feb. d d d d Extra super Super 12 to 121 Average 11 to 112 104 to 114 Inferior to 102 — Fine Halfbred, 56/, 5«’s— Extra super Supsr Hi to 12 — Average 101 to iii 10i to 11. Inferior 84 to 10 10; to 101 Medium Halfbred. 50 56’s Extra super — Super Hi to 124 — Average 10 to 11 10 tn iii Inferior 8’. to 92 9 to 92 Extra Fine Crossbred, 46, 50’s— Super . 101 to 132 104 to 12 Average 92 to 104 92 to 104 Inferior 8 to 92 8 to 94 Fine, Crossbred, 46 4«’< Super 104 to 132 104 to 122 Average 9$ to ii; 9, to 101 Inferior 8 to 91 7 to 9 Medium Crossbred, 44 /46’j Super 102 to 134 104 to 124 Average 92 to 102 9i to 10i Inferior 8 to 9i 8 to 9 Coarse Crossbred. 4 0/4 Super 11 to 13 102 to 124 Average 94 to 11 94 to •04 Inferior 84 to 91 85 to 91 Low Crossbred, 36/40’: £ Super 112 to 131 Average 104 to 112 94 to 104 Inferior — — Hoggets— 48/50’s 82 to 124 9 to Hi Fine 46/48’s 84 to Hi 9i to 102 Med. 44/46 s 92 to 11 — Coarse 40/44’s to lOi — Low 36/40's 114 to 12 — Lambs— Down 50/56 s 74 to 10 Fine 44/50’s 94 to 134 94 to 12 Med. 40/44's 74 to 10 — Seedv and inferior 64 to 81 62 to 9 Bellies and Pieces— Merino: Good to super 74 to 94 — Low to medium to 9 —

Half bred: Good to super Low to medium 7? to 11 72 to 61 to 82 72 7 to 91 Crossbred: Good to super 8 to 104 8 to 94 Low to medium ■ii to 74 64 to 72 Crutchings— Med. to good 71 to 10 74 to 9 Inferior and seedy 4 to 82 54 Io * 4 Merino to 4 to 42 Half bred 41 to 41 44 to 42 Crossbred 3-1 to 35 41 to 6