WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 January 1925, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

WELLINGTON'S WOOL SALE. (Special to ‘‘Guardian’’.) WELLINGTON, January 21. Peculiar conditions existed at the wool sale held in Wellington early this week. The market was decidedly irregular and there was a good deal of hesitancy. With, one or two exceptions the buyers seemed to lack a sufficiency of orders to give them a sustained interest in the sale, and most of them were picking up lots in this and that catalogue. A feature of the sale was the demand for coarse and low crossbreds, that is for wools ranging from SB’s to Id’s quality, also for bellies and pieces. These are relatively the cheapest wools procurable to-day and it is for that reason that they we' j in such excellent demand. These grades of wool showed a strong upward tendency and did actually advance -Jet to Id per lb on December rates. The reason for this firmness is at!.diluted to the demands of the man in the street who wants clothes to (it his pocket, and i» not over sensitive about fashion. Afanufacturors and clothiers tire catering to this individual for there arc j millions of him in Europe and North America. Remarkably good business lias been done liv Bradford in cross-

bred wool fabrics and it must secure the weight of wool to keep command of this trade. Bradford has been buying crossbred wool in increasing quantities and Bradford’s operations were the main props ol the A\ ellington s.ile. Germany too is a large user of crossbred wools and considerable quantities of the wool sold at Wellington "ill he sent to Hamburg. Italy is apparently doing a good trade with the Balkan States and there has been a good deal of wool purchased that will ultimately find its way to Genoa. The disappointment of the moment is the quietness

displayed by American rcprcsenlatiies. America has scarcely appeared in the picture except lor lambs wool, and tbc 1 competition from this source helped to make a firm market for this class of wool. Fine crossbreds, halfbreds and merino wools were all easier, which was rather to the advantage of the Dominion woolen mills for they were able to buy the wools they wanted at reasonable prices. On the whole growers have every reason to be satisfied and that they wore satisfied with the prices ruling is proved by tho fact that fully 90 per cent of the wool offered was sold.

IMPORTANCE OE LOCAL SALES. There is no doubt now that the local wool sales have come to stay. The advantages greatly outweigh the disadvantages. and when this season’s figures are compiled it will probably be found that fully 90 per cent of the clip has been sohl locally. This fact: is recognised in Bradford and the trend of prices at the local sales are keenly watched wherever crossbred *vool is used. As evidence of this a local wool broker directs attention to the remarks of the special correspondent ol the “ Boston Evening Transcript.” In bis letter dated November 22nd. lie said, "The trade is on the tiptoe of expectation, now that the sales in New Zealand have opened, Wellington last Monday (November 17) setting a keen pace. The Home trade, particularly Bradford lopniakers. who are the hugest buyers of New Zealand crossbreds expected a keen market, but the prices cabled as ruling stagger everyone. Wellington now is regarded as the premier selling centre in the Dominion and, with something like 118.000 bales catalogued last season, we may expect a corresponding quarter to be offered this season. As Wellington provides a good selection of coarse and medium crossbreds, we fully expect that Brad-ford-will do its full share of buying and lift the hulk of the wools. We sav riglifaway that Bradford is better able to lift a lugger quantity ol New Zealand crossbreds this season than last. 'lbis is essentially a “bull” lac lor, and mic that mu t L- pleysi.";. l . t" all New Zealand wool growers as w< il as freezing establishments. And why.-' Simply because ol trading, the past twelve months being so successful, crossbred buyers having more enp’t.il and prospects fully .'is good as we have been accustomed to see. As one looks to the New Zealand season for i.s clip, we are persuaded that there is going to be broader competition, accompanied by much higher prices than what ruled last year.

INK ANTI LE PARALYSIS. Vne steps taken by the Health authorities to prevent the spread of this dreadful disease come in for a good deal of criticism. Thus one correspondent says, “ 111 Plimmerlon there are just now between two and three thousand people from all over the North Island, and mostly children, and yet from Wellington on Sunday two long trains of picnic week-enders came to this place. To me it seemed criminal negligence oil the part of the authorities." No better way could be imagined of sending tho disease Inoadc-ast.