OPOSSUM SKIN SALE

Hokitika Guardian, 21 August 1930, Page 2

OPOSSUM SKIN SALE

DUNEDIN, Aug. 15. . The second sale of the season was lielcl at (Dunedin when approximately 17,500 skins were offered by the eight selling brokers. Of this our offering was 13,758 skins, drawn, from all parts of New Zealand where the opossum is to be found. The quality of our offering was rather better than the first sale and our catalogue comprised someheautifuly furred and coloured skins, notably 1)1 lies from Gatlins, Wyndham and North Canterbury., anil blacks from the West Coast, Gisborne and Waikarcmoana districts.

In our circular issued after our first sale we endeavoured to explain cleaijlv to trappers the present depressed state of all fur markets and our advice then was that nothing was to be gained by with-holding skins from sale. Since then there Infs been no improvement, in rhe general outlook and in fact the latest information we have received from our Loudon Office is that a further 20 oer cent, decline is expected at the London iabbitskin sales in September. This can be taken as a good indication of (the present trend of. all fur prices, and there can fie no doubt that no sudden improvement in opossum skin prices can be looked for until the Inigo accumulation in London is cleared and goes into consumption. At to-day’s sale tlie demand was again limited and it was only by very careful valuing and by passing in numerous lots at auction that we were able to avoid selling any lots at under our ideas of market value. The sale is quoted slightly lower than the first sale by some brokers, but- on our catalogue wo make prices unchanged to slightly dearer for certain grades, chiefly gr<\vs and blues. Our catalogue comprised 8!) per cent, of the total offering, which meant that buyers had to concentrate in our offering to secure their require-, ments. As usual we topped the market for all grades, our super blacks bringing 11s and bines 10s lOd. These blacks were.from Wa.ikaremoana and tb?’ West Coast and were very heavy furred dark coloured and faultlessly got no. The blues were chiefly from Wyndham, Gatlins, and North Canterbury, whilst other lots of blues from Auckland district sold up to 9s 7d. Some of our best sales in blacks and browns were 240 at 6s 3d, 374 at 6s 6d. 441 at Bs, 372 at 6s 9d, 356 at 9.5, 52 at 10s 6d,. 291 at 9s 2d,'321 at Bs, 50 . at 10s 9d, 49 at 7s Bd. 44 at 11s, and in blues and greys 128 at 6s 6d, 275 at 8s 2d, 315 r at 7s, 156 at 7s 10d,,228 at 65,• 239 at 6s 6d, 90 at 7s, 14 at 9s 7d, and 22 at 10s lOd. Damaged, inferior, and faulty stretched skins brought very low prices, in many cases insufficient to pay the cost of royalty. In this connection we might mention that we have written to the Government suggesting that' in the interests of trappers the royalty should not be charged on very low priced skins and we hope that some attention will be paid to pur request., . As usual our catalogue was representative of all districts in both Islands and. we wish to compliment trappers in Auckland ■ and 'Gisborne districts • particularly on the get up of their skins. With very few exceptiofis these c were faultlessly prepared and reflect very great credit on the owners. 7 ;.The' Waikarenmnna and West Coast blacks and Wyndham, Gatlins and North Canterbury Blues, were ns usual' excellent colours and met with good competition. North Island trappers(; will be interested to learn that prices were considerably better than those obtained at the recent 'Wellington sale where competition was limited to only two or three buyers. It is apparent that Dunedin buyers are this season not sufficiently interested to btiy cither in the country or in any other centre, and are quite prepared to rely on Dunedin offerings for their requirements.

Tlie following is the range of prices from Seconds up for average consignments:—

Blacks, 3s 6(1 to 11sbrowns, 2s 3d to 6s 3d: blues, 3s 7d to 10s lOd; greys, 3s Id to 7s; reds 2s Id to 4s 9d; slates, 2s lid to 6s 4d; small blacks, Is to 3s 10d.; small blues and greys, Is to 3s 8d; very inferior and damaged, 6d to Is 6d. Our next sale will be held on 19th. September. This is the last sale of the season and trappers can depend upon our doing our utmost to secure them satisfactory returns at this sale. .Any of. our Branches in the North or South Island will be pleased to attend to the stamping and forwarding of skins to us.