N.Z. Wool Last Season Brought Attractive Prices

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 28, 22 August 1949, Page 3

N.Z. Wool Last Season Brought Attractive Prices

Wool sold at auction in New Zealand last season totalled approximately 865,371 bales of new clip and 161,829 bales of stock wool. These figures are given in the annual report of the New Zealand Wool Board, just published. Reviewing the season, the report stated that the early offerings were more attractive than they have been for the past few seasons, being well grown, good colour, and light in condition. The main clip was also v/eil up to standard. Some improvement had been shown in the preparation of offerings by increased re-classing and' binning, although wools from some areas continued to be submitted for auction poorly skirted and very mixed in quali; /. The main season opened at Auckland in November with a keen demand from all sections. Prices, after allowing for the drop of 20 per cent, caused by the exchange adjustment, were still on a pair with opening rates of the previous season for crossbreds. Crossbred prices continued to show a hardening tendency from sale to sale, until late January when there was a steady decline (except for a spasmodic upward and downward fluctuation in March) until the end of April, followed by a slight improvement at the concluding May sales. Merinos and halfbreds opened on a high level, which was fully maintained until late February, when prices eased and continued to fall until the final sales in May, at which good average wools and skirtings showed a marked recovery. This recovery was not reflected to the same extent, however, by ordinary style high-country wools.