COMMERCIAL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 532, 11 January 1913, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

The first sales of the New Year were held at Weßtfield on Wednesday. There were large yardings and prices were somewhat easier than late quota* tions. Best oxen, offered by the Loan arid. Mercantile Agency, Ltd., sold at up to 27s per 1001b. and others at from 24a to 265.

Cows and heifers brought from 203 to 24s per 1001b. Veal calves were yarded,in large numbers and sold at low rates, heavy vealers bringing from £2 10s to £3 'lss, medium £2 to £2. 9s, lighter 25s to 335, small and fresh dropped 3a to 20s. The yarding of Bheep. was a heavy one, and prices were about at par with last week's rates. Heavy ewes brought from 12s to 14s 6d, heavy wethers from 17a 6d to 19i 6d, light wethers irom 15s to 16s.

Messrs Abraham and Williams, Ltd.. report: At Johnsonville on Tuesday there was the usual entry of beef of fair quality. Bullocks sold readily at prices ranging from £lO 10a to £ll 7s 6d for the best, and £9 to £lO for the balance. A good entry of sheep went with keen competition, wethers making 18s 4d to 18s Bd, heavy ewes 17s 8d to 18s Bd, others ewes 15s 2d to 16s 2d, light ewes 13s 2d to 14s; . best Jambs 14s 6d to 16s 3d, medium lambs 12s 3d to 13s.

WELLINGTON WOOL SALE. SLIGHT DROP IN PRICES. Wellington, Wednesday. Just under 26,000 bales were offered at the wool sales to-day—a record for this centre. Growers apparently are content with the advantage that local selling offers the chief of which is the receipt of the money for the wool within a fortnight of the fall of the hammer. The first two catalogues offered comprised about 7000 bales, and. gave a fair indication of the course of the market. When results were compared they disclosed a drop of Jd Der pound all round compared with, the December sale pryzes, though prices, were considerably in avance of January, 1912; The wool is heavier in condition than that offered in December. Stijl allowing Jd per pound for that fact as several important lines showed a drop of |d per pound, the fact remains that the market has gone back £d per pound. This generally was the result of the other disposals as the day progressed. Buyers present represented all parts of the woollen manufacturing world, including/ Yorkshire,. Philadelphia, Roubaix, and Saxony. The New Zealand mills were strongly represented, and indeed were by no means a negligible factors. The, decline is in wools suitable for Bradford—that is, coarse breds. Local buyers helped the sales in their demand for the fine or half bred wools. What lambs' wobl-'wa'a available sold;well,: arid in some -cases 'Was Id to ljd aboVe last January's prides. American ;buyers were not operating to any considerable extent, wanting only tbe bright conditioned- wools, and these showed a full,gd/drop on December's prices. Frenchmen took a fair percentage of the wools suitable for their requirements, but it was the Bradford section of operators who took the bulk of offerings.

The range of prices may be summarised in the following figures : Merino, superior, lOd to lid; medium to good, Bid,to 9£d; inferior halfbred, IQJd to 12£ d; crossbred, fine lid to risd; medium, lid to 11 Jd; coarse, 9d to 10Jd; pieces, 8d to 10id; bellies, 7Jd to 9Jd; locks, 4d to-s£d; lambs' wool, lid to ll^d.