A QUIET MARKET.

Otago Witness, Issue 2895, 8 September 1909, Page 7

A QUIET MARKET.

Matters in Bradford continue to move on ' a very restricted scale, and business is be- | ing done in anything but an encouraging , way. It is in perfect order to say that the effect of the sales upon Worsfcedopolis is practically nil, and this market is as slack to-day as at any time this year. No in-

spiratioti whatever has oorAe from Colemain street, end tops can be- bougJß as cheap To- ; day as when the sales opened. In faot, little difficulty would be experienced in buying any class of standard- combing at even a fraction less, the market being not over and above sound in any quality. TopmeJcera continue- to b& fairly busy — the majority have still some very good orders to complete, but there is not much new buying being indulged in, and' 't is ..this feature which is rather disturbing things. The fine merino end of the traders a long way the best,' the demand still running most on 50*6 and upwards, anything below 46's being dist'netly quiet and depressed. Although the majority are still quoting 2s 2Jd for a super 60'& top, yet wthout any difficulty it is possible to buy at a fraction less, and plenty say that e.ven money would ' buy a good combing. Commission woolcombers are still well employed with the exception of those handling crossbreds, and here n ; ght work is nothing near so plentiful. There has been during the past week a few decent eales both in fine erossbreds and merinos, -but topmakers cannot get what they ought in view of what wool cost in London. It is certain that we are going to see no higher prices unless a very large and unexpected wave of buying takes place-,. and this * does not seem likely in the least. Evidently all u^ers have •determined on a- policy of going from 'hand to mouth, and the feeiing is a growing one in favour of lower price 9. Consumption- in' the aggregate is well maintained. So far' there is no standing machinery, and spinners of fine, counts are making satisfactory deliveries, -there being as yet no complaints made respecting stocks accumulating. Coarse' crossbreds are distinctly flat and disappointing, and a good 40's top is easily procurable at 12d to 12id. It v really surprising how stagnant is this end of the trade, complaints being general that neither tops nor yarns can be sold at all freely. The value of these 'a •certainly very reasonable in view of ..the current price of merinos, and yet the amount of trade doing is exceedingly small. Mohair has sobered down completely, and there is now nothing but a marking-time movement. « Prices are steady, but the amount of actual business passing is very limited indeed.

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