H.—3B

6

SCHEELITE. Pinal accounts in respect of the last shipment to leave New Zealand have been received and the balances due paid to shippers. The total quantity of scheelite shipped under the terms of the contract amounted to 774 tons, and the payments to £178,481, distributed to the various districts as under : — £ Glenorchy .. •• 89,723 Macrae's Flat .. .. .. .. ..38,513 Otago Central .. .. .. ■• ..7,464 Marlborough .. .. .. .. ... 34,077 Charges .. .. .. •■ •• 8,704 Total.. .. .. .. £178,481 WOOL. Greasy Clip. Under agreement with the Imperial Government, an extension of the time allowed for delivery of wool was made to the 30th September, 1920, and all wool of the 1919-20 clip delivered into registered woolbrokers' stores up to midnight of that date was appraised and paid for on behalf of the Imperial Government. From the commencement of the first contract, in November, 1916, to the 31st March, 1921, wool has been purchased and disposed of us under : — Total number of bales purchased (as per valuation certificates received) .. 2, 086,951 Number of bales lost in transit .. .. .. • • 9,668 Number of bales arrived at destination io 276 steamers . . .. 1,334,009 Number of bales shipped to America for sale .. .. .. 10,321 Number of bales shipped on account of other Governments .. 119,282 Number of bales delivered to scourers for treatment .. .. 417,770 Number of bales sold to local mills .. .. .. . . 638 Number of bales destroyed by fire .. .. .. .. 593 Number of bales available for shipment. . .. .. .. 194,670 Total number of bales purchased from brokers .. .. .. 2,086,951 Number of bales scoured and fellmongers' slipe wool shipped .. .. 364, 431 Number of bales scoured and fellmongers' slipe wool destroyed by fire .. 1,394 Number of bales repacked, scoured, and fellmongers' slipe wool available for shipment 71,031 The sum of £50,211,352 was disbursed in payment of the 2,086,951 bales referred to above, made up as follows : — Amount. Percentage £ to Total. Appraised value 47,334,007 94-28 Brokers', valuation, and shipping charges .. .. .. 2,179,455 4-34 Storage 645,211 1-28 Administration expenses .. .. .. .. •■ 52,679 0-10 £50,211,352 100-00 WOOL-SCOURING. Scouring of locks, pieces, second lambs, and heavy-conditioned fleece wool was completed during the year, and the following table shows the quantities distributed to wool-scourers and the results up to the 31st March, 1921 :— Delivered to wool-scourers for treatment: Bales, 417,770: net weight, 157,119,413 lb. ; average weight per bale, 376-09 lb. Scoured result: Bales, 346,030 ; net weight, 101,623,042 lb. ; average weight per bale, 293-68 lb. Yield : 64-68 per cent. Saving in shipping-space : Bales, 71,732 ; net weight, 55,493,338 lb. Paid to wool-scourers for treatment of wool, £747,400.