Wool Prices Still Firm At Dunedin Sale

Chronicle (Levin), 20 December 1949, Page 6

Wool Prices Still Firm At Dunedin Sale

• ' DUNEDIN, Dec. 19. There *was a good demand for ali types and keen inquiry for lower quality wools today at the iirst fleeee salu of the season in Dunedin. A double auetiott opened before afuil bench' of buyers. There was a tptal elearanee of the catalogue of 22,500 bales of new sea sbn's w.ool. A cataiogue of about the same quantity "will be offered on the concluding day, Wednesday, and includ ed in [this catalogue will be some of the wgpls vvhich were among top prices- Jast raason/Competition was keen today and faii ly widespread. Prices for iiner gracie wools were not up to those of last year's ftrst saie but ilne crossbreds aud me'ciiuui sorts^- particuiar]}- the latter, shdwed a'.sharg rise compared with the sale of last year. Sheep eame through the mild winter to an early spring ano the result was that the wool opened up in good condition, Oeing generally sound and weli grown. Loeal niills were principal buyers of iiner classes wliiicother sorts met with good competitior frohi overseas buyers. A- iemarkable feature of the sale wa.-, the demand for stronger wools aud woois of ordinary style. There appear ed to be a stroug buying order for thc United States and Germany was alsn in the market, probably for the flrst time since the war. These buyers oper ated mostJv t'or pieces and necks. Ja pan was also a btiyer and it is under stood that Russia was in thejnarket tu a limited ektent. Bradford aud the Cfui tinent completed the picture. Every type of wool had an inquiry anu ail grades sold steadily throughout the day. Halfbred hogget wools were ra ther erratic in coniparison with last year. The sale was a satisfactory oue and the fact that all classes were in strong demand, suggests that the wooi situation is as sound as it has been for some time. Generally "all classes of fine wool were iirmer tlian at the Christ cliurch sale last week, wliile otliei classes showed an improvement of from 5 to 10 per cpnt. Fine crossbreds soid up to 49s pej- lb and inedium crossbreds realised from 33d to 39d. Top price for the day was 78U1 for Merino wool from the Malvern Downs Estate, Tarras, Central Otago. For coniparison, ihe Ihe same clip at the Deeeniber sale in Dunedin last year, brought 81;]d whicli was then the New Zealand record Later it was exceeded slightly at Christchurch and Timaru. Among top prices today were Malvern Downs, 01 bales of Merino incluuing 16 bales of pieces and necks, 51 d to 7 S 1 d ; braiul Dalrachney, 128 bales of ^Merino inclnding 20 bales of necks an 1 pieces, 50d to 70d; brand Belmont 37 bales of Corriedale 51 |d to O.Nd ; Foulden Hills, six bales of line • halfbred OOld; brand Goulburn, six bales of lirsi quarter-bred hogget 07id; brand in .triangle" Bpringburn, f'our bales ot A.A. quarter-bred 07d.