SHEARING DELAY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20131, 28 December 1939, Page 6

SHEARING DELAY

THIS WEEK’S RAIN VALUATIONS PROCEED 187,700 BALES SO FAR FAST PROGRESS MADE The delay in shearing in the Gisborne district this week has further upset arrangements made for the completion of the work. Fine weather during the fortnight preceding Christmas enabled the shearing gangs to make up some of the time lost by frequent showers earlier in the season, but some of the sheds were expected to be busy well into January, even if .there had been no further interruption. The itermittent rain since Tuesday has further delayed the work, and if there is no immediate improvement the present shearing season may be the longest ever experienced in the district. Dominion Appraisements Many other districts also have been delayed by the weather, but, despite this, the total quantity of wool appraised in the Dominion for shipment up to the end of the year is in excess of that offered at the six auctions held prior to the New Year last season by 52,000 bales. Including approximately 20,000 bales being appraised in Auckland at present, the total for the Dominion to date is 187,700 bales. Appraisement Totals Appraisements have been made as follows: —Auckland 43,500 bales; Wellington. 21,000 bales; Napier, 23.262; Wanganui, 23,195; Gisborne and East Coast, 9782; Blenheim, 5200; Christchurch, 23,000; Timaru, 13,326; Oamaru 4000: Dunedin, 21,431. Offerings at selling centres prior to the new year last season were: — Auckland, 24,181 bales; Napier, 23,400; Wellington, 23-,850; Christchurch, 23,964; Timaru, 15,987; Dunedin, 24,279. The value of the wool appraised is roughly £3,190,000, all of which will soon have been distributed, against a return to growers of about £2,2.50,000 in the same period of the 1938-39 selling season. On this occasion 5 per cent of the grower’s cheque is being retained until the end of the seasoif. Payment on Quality One point which was not generally understood at the outset was the fact that wool would be valued according to its quality. In this respect good wools have received several pence a pound more than the average price, while, of course, dusty, burry and otherwise inferior sorts do not reach the average level.

At Dunedin, for instance, an Otago clip was awarded the top price for halfbred in New Zealand this season at 19id der lb., while at Blenheim up to 201 d was paid for an outstanding Merino offering. Generally, the get-up of clips has been satisfactory, but some growers arc still leaving fleece wool unskirted, which necessitates unrolling in order that the various types can be priced according to schedule.

With purchases in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom clip, the British Government has become the world’s greatest wool merchant. Great Britain is certainly well equipped with supplies, state Winchcombe, Carson, Limited, Sydney.

During the eight months prior to the commencement of the war British imports of wool were very heavy and re-exports were less than usual. The quantity of imported raw material retained was the equivalent of 2,052,000 bales, being 40 per cent more than the average for the corresponding period of the previous five years. The United Kingdom is therefore in a particularly strong position in rfcgard to the sheep’s staple.

Surprise has been expressed that prices for crossbred wools are on such good levels compared with Merinos. The New Zealand clip, 97 per cent crossbred, is sold to the British Government at only about Id a lb. sterling basis less than the Australian clip, 84 per cent of which is Merino..