WOOL MARKET

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 1 December 1927, Page 8

WOOL MARKET

THE CHRISTCHURCH SALE RANGE OF PRIDES. SUPERFINE EASIER. Christchurch. Nov. 30. The first of tho Christchurch wool sales for this season was held to-day, when a catalogue of 13,800 bales, mostly half-bred, was offered. As the sale was the first held in the Dominion at which there was a large offering of the finer classes of wools, it was generally expected that very keen competition would result. ‘ However, there was nothing remarkable iu the way of prices, but in view of the market in the North Island it was a sound sale. Hog,,it wool and the super classes of fine wools wore easier than at Auckland by up to Id a lb, but fine crossbred wool and particularly pieces fully maintained the prices obtained at the northern sales. In the earlier stages of tho sale (he Continental buyers dominated the position, securing the bulk of the first two catalogues, but thereafter, when the greater quantity of better class wools were offered, the local mills were very strongly in evidence and Bradford buyers made their presence felt to an improved degree. America also bought more freely than appar ently was the case in the North Island. The local fellmongers had difficulty in obtaining anything to handle at a profit. Passings did not amount to more than 2) per cent of the total offering. Tho bulk of the passings were in the first catalogue) and towards the end of the sale. Very little of the offering was nor. sold. Most of the lots passed in the early stages wore subsequently sold UNCERTAINTY OF SHIPPING. The easing of the vi is of tho super wools has been auributed to the uncertainty of the shipping position in Australia on account of the waterside dispute. This, at least, kept one of the prominent Australian buyers off the market. Of tho Continental buyers, France was most prominent, securing a larger share of the offering than any of the other buying dements. Local mills took a largo quantity of fine wools, but the distribution of buying was fairly even.

Values were up by fr’om*2d to 2jd a lb compared with the Marell sale, aw by 4d to aid compared with the opening saio of last year. Some of luo specially choice wools showed a Digger margin than this, however, out they constituted only a small proportion of the offering. Tho top price ol the saw was 2oid for 15 bales of half-bred. Otner sums were 25Jd and 25(1. The ivy Comadale price was 25Jd for 15 bales. Tile best Merino figure was 25d. vomedale pieces made to 23Jd. The nop price for fine crossbred was 21id. Down wool made up to 2Zd ana medium crossbred to 18id. Urossored pieces made lo 13Id. haltbred bellies to 18}d. fine leeks to Md, and halfbred crutchings to 14}d. The following was the range of

prices:— d. d. Merino, 64-70, 60-64— Super '22 to 23’ Average 191 to HU Inferior 17 to 19 Corriedaie— Super 22 to 251 Average 19J ,to 211 Inferior 17 to 19 Fine Half-bred— Extra super 24 to 25J Super 21J to 23} Average 19 to 21 Inferior 171 to 18| Medium Halfbred— Extra Super 22 to 23f Super 20 to 21} Average . 181 to 19} Inferior 16 to 19 Coarse Halfbred— Extra Super 194 to 20} Super 18 to 191 164 to 17} Average Inferior 15 to 16 Fine Crossbred— Super 164 to 17} Average 15 to 16) Inferior 131 to 144 Medium Crossbred— Super 151 to 16J Average 14 to 15} Inferior 121 to 131 Coarse Crossbred— Super 131 to 141 Average 121 to 131 Inferior Hi to 12J Bellies and Pieces— Merino, good to super 17 to 211 Merino, low to med. 15 to 16J Bellies— Half-bred good to sup. 15 to 18| Half-bred, low to med. 13 to 141 Pieces— Half bred, good to sup. 181 to 21 Half-bred, low to med. 13 to 18 (Continued on foot of tie xl column )

Bellies and Pieces— Crossbred, good to sup 13 to 16 Crossbred, low to med. 10 to 12J Crutchings— Medium to good 9} to 14 Inferior and seedy ... 7 to 8i Locks— Half-bred 8} to 10} Crossbred 6} to 8