OPOSSUM SKINS

Hokitika Guardian, 20 October 1933, Page 3

OPOSSUM SKINS

DUNEDIN HOLDS FINAL SALE.

N.Z. SEASON CATCH A RECORD

DUNEDIN, October 19

The final sale for the season was s ’ gety and Co. report: The total of-Coring-,.,distributed' among the eight * -selling-brokers was approximately 4030 skins, of which our catalogue contained 2320. The quality of the offering wa s generally poor and very 1 inferior to' last sale’s selection. With the small offering there was no cle- : ,-mand on American account, but nevertheless prices were maintained re•markably well, especially 'when the poorer quality is-taken into account in- making comparisons. There was an excellent demand for the best .grades, .particularly of blues and greys; and on ,our catalogue .these were occasionally higher than last sale j •by 6d to 17-:'per : s’khT. Secondary and inferior grades of ,-a.y, w,ere. from l/_ to 2/- per 1 skip lower. Amongst 4 - our .best .sales w.ere .Bluq? , and Greys: - #Vat <l4/-, 6at \i : 3/jb, 27 at 13/4, 8 at.l2/7, (27 at 11/B, ~£ afeJ-1/8,‘22 at 11/-, -| 18. a t io/f„ fkl at, 9 /6.• 72 at 9/-, .44 a t 8/3 and Blacks: .9.at- 12/11, 45. at 12/-, • .30 at 11/11, .34 at-10/6, lpO at. 9/10, 86 at 8/3. 'Our ,best" prices,;. ' w|.ich . wei'e.! top.-iprjce.s .for the sale,! iypre--/Blues, up to 14/r and Blacks/t9; 12/11, •• neither of these Ipts being; as good, as the corresponding Jots in . last sale -which realised .14/4 tand 12/-.respec-tively. The following is .the range j ■of prices ,at .cur sgle for nUp grades ': from. seconds up: —Soutji Island (ipel.l idieayy NJ’s .skins).:. . Blacks ..67.6,.,.,- to - 712./II;;- brpkens,;4/'9, : to. 7/5; bine. 7/6, to ' grey ..-7/3y/to 1,1 /B.^,rci<3s /.4/Jl. tp " 7/6. -North Island (light skins)-:,. Jllues ;£/3 to .-12i.6 ; ; --gpeys 4/9 ±O/,s/- reds '/ ~3/6)to 6/4; . slate?.- 4/3; ]’ .blacks 9d ,to 2/7; -smajl -blue, : and.-::greys -2/4 -to ,3/3*•• in/eripr.^nd...damaged.. ...2/3 to 3/7.' . .- -l; “ There ha.s been • a record catch of opossums;- .this season in, New Zealand ■ and record quantities have been, offered at auction in Dunedin, the total offerings being 78,824 of which our catalogues have comprised 54,450 skins. Prices opened at the July-sale considerably higher than expectations, and with minor :fluctuations values have been maintained throughout the season -, at a level which should certainly have , made trapping.a payable occupation.