HIDE AND TALLOW SALES

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 49, 22 November 1920, Page 8

HIDE AND TALLOW SALES

..'.SUBSTANTIAL'DROP IN SHEEP-. . SKINS. ■■ The fortnightly sales of hides and tallow were held oa Friday by the various ■ brokers. The first sale of sheepskins ' since the commanded' was also held, . when a (heavy offering was put forward to a full bench of buyers. ; Messrs. Dalgety and Co. ■ report :—As we expected, prices, in 1 sympathy with present state of wool market,-were very 1 low, but sellers evidently had decided '. to .meet tho fall, and very few lots were passed in. Christchurch and Danuevirko sales had been held previous to Wellington, and local brokers had to take .their lino of valuation'from results of these two sales, and there was very .'little difference in tho range o£ prices. .Realisations, on butchers' skins under . present sale prices, when compared with commandeer rates, show a tremendous depreciation, the fall on' full polled skins ranging from 100 to 150 per cent., ■and this must have a depressing elfect on .local fat stock markets for any sheep offered in the wool. It would nppcar that prices havo about touched bedrock, but at the moment is no indication •that rates will appreciate for some time to come. Any skins carrying seed were poorly competed for. and tho earno remarks apply to damaged and stale pelted. However, wo give hereunder a statement of commandeer rates for a few principal grades, as compared with prices now ruling under pre-auction conditions:— A Nov. Commandeer Auction

Prices. Prices. Crossbred, Baited— e. u. d; s. d. s. d. Fine full-woolled ... 16 to 17 6 66t0 7 1 Med., full-woolled 14 to 15 6 46t0 5 i 5-woollei 12 to 13 0 36t0 4 6

Dry Skins— d. d. d. d. Fine crossbred laj to 13 5$ to 61 Ited. crossbred 114 to 12 4to 4} Uoarsa crossbred U to Hi 4 to 5 Dead (good) 81 to' 91 3 to 11 Aiedium catalogues of hides wero put torward, and prices for heavy ox and calf were slightly firmer; other sorts showed no change from last sale rates.

'■■■■ Messrs. Levin and_Co., Ltd., report that .owing to the unsatisfactory state of tho - .markets generally tlio sales were very V dull, and prices extremely low. Bidding lacked spirit and confidence, and many /lots wero passed without eliciting competition, Sheepskins: This was tlie first .auction sale in Wellington of sheepskins ' - since the expiration 'ol tlio Government

purchase, and 23,000-skins were catalogued. With practically no overseas demand, Australian prices down to a -few pence for good crossbred skins, and following on a severe declino in wool, it was fully expected that thero would bo » . substantial drop from commandeer values to-day, land expectations livoro too fully realised. As. compared with last sale's rates prices realised for hides, in the majority of instances, showed an improvement in sellers' favour. Tallow was unchanged. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., roport:-In view of tho low prices ruling in tho world's markets, it was expected that low prjocs . woiild rule at this sale. However, there 'was a good competition for sheepskins, at values about Gd. to Bd. per lb. for full-wooUed sound skins, below those ruling under the requisition.. Hides and calfskins w*ro in. fairly good demand ' especially sound calfskins, which realised ' &; 0 , 1 ? lcL \° 2 * d - abovo last sal ° Pr'ccstallow and fat was not in good demand.' Messrs. Murray, Eoberts and Co., Ltd, report that prices for sheepskins In ■now of tho sharp decline in wool and pelt values, were considerably below the level of. Government valuation figures dry skins being from fid. to 7d„ and salted skins from 10s. to lis. por skin lower than the last Government valuation at September 30. Competition was good at the lower level of prices the Bulk of tlio skins boing bought by foilmongery. Tho firm submitted a catalogue of over 13,000 skins, most of which were cleared, a few lots being passed m. Hides showed an advance of from •s<l. to Id. per lb., and in the case of a few heavy ox up to 3d. por lb. over last sales' bids, tho market showing a more confident tone. •-.■ Messrs. Abraliam and Williams, Ltd., report that buyers competed keenly, but ■were' very restricted in their purchasing power, and prices showed a very severe decline on commandeer vulnes, and -wero considerably bt?ow pre-iwar ' values. ' Hides showed an upward tendency on last sale rates, due to the improved conditions in oversea markets. Tallow showed a slight improvement on last sale rates. Messrs. Wright, Stephenson and Co., Ltd.. report a good attendance of buyers, but their buying limits wero low and prices in consequenco showed a big de- : cline on those lately ruling. Tallow sold at higher prices,.as also did hides, which showed on upward tendency on last sale prices. Tho Wiurnropa Farmers' Co-op/ Association, Ltd., report that, as expected, sheepskins showed n heavy decline, prob- • ably 7jd. to Bd. per lb. Hides were firmer all round, and there was considerable competition for good lines. Small '. lots of tallow in tins, etc., realised up to 325. per cwt. '-' The range of prices was as under:— Sheepskins— Half bred, 4Jd. to DJd.; fine crossbred, sd: to 6}d.; medium-conrpe 'rrnwbred, 'Id. to 51d.; short to half-wools, lid. to W.; lambs, IM. to 51(1.; dead iind damaged crossbred, 2d. to ij-d.; inferior and badly damaged, Id. to 4}d.; pelt= IJd. to 3d.; damp, salted and

green, Is. Bd. to 7s. Id.; polls, salted, Is. 7d. to 3a. Id.; lambs, salted, 6d. to 2s. 3d. Hides—Os, heavy, 591b. niul over, 7jd. to 13d.; ox, medium, 501b. to 581b., Sfd. to 0"d.; ox,'light, 491b.'and under, 7Jd. to BJd.; cow, heavy, 551b. and over, 9'd.; cow, medium, i2lb. to 511b., 7d. to !)'d.; cow, light, 421b. and under, 6jtl.; cut, slippy, and inferior, 3|d. to 7-' d.; bull Btag,. id.; yearlings, 111b. to 321b., 6'd. to Hid.; calf, superior, np to 101b., Bd. to 17id.; calf, medium-good, 7d. to 17Jd.; calf, damaged, Id. to 12' d. Tallow.—ln casks, 30s. cwt.; in tins, etc., 2Gs. to 325. Od. Sundries—Horse hair, 181 d. lb. • Messrs. Booth 'and Co. ndnso that at tho London tallow sales, held on November 10, 24-10 casks wero offered, and 4-.1 l cnßks sold. Quotations were t-Txliblo mutton, 74d.; edible beef,' Ms. Gd.; good mutton, 715.; good beef. 71s; good colour 695. Gd.; no colour, 505.; gut, Sft.. 31. At this week's sale 2750 casks wore offered, of which 450 casks were sold. The market d f TurnbullandCo. on Saturday, received a eablegram from Messrs. TV. Weddel and Co. < late,l London November 17. reading as lal " low market has declmed 3s. fid.; veiy quiet."