AN UNUSUAL SCENE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 207, 9 February 1915, Page 4

AN UNUSUAL SCENE.

GERMAN WOOL-BUYERS "TURNED: DOWN."

Since the Australian embargo on the export of merino wool to America has been lifted, subject to certain guaranteed conditions, fears have been enter-: tained in wool-broking circles in New, South IVVales that wool which may be \ legitimately exported to the United States may be eventually .slapped to, Germany. In consequence of the determination of auctioneers to avoid any trading, however indirectly, with 1 the enemy, an unusual scene took place' ' in the .Sydney wool sale room at the - Royal Exchange last, week. At about 3.30 o'clock the auctioneer appointed to submit the first catalogue mounted the rostrum and read out the special condin tions of sale that have been operative since the war has been in progress. Sales then proceeded without incident till lot 31 was reached, whon a German buyer made a bid which was not taKeir by the auctioneer. As the lot was not knocked down to anyone in particular, the German claimed it as a passed-in lot, so that he eould have priority in 'purchase by private sale. As the lot was disputed, it was re-submitted, and purchased by a French firm. The scene at this stage was quite dramatic. Whetf the German rose to bid there were hoots in the gallery from the wool-growers, and when the lot was knocked down ftfc the German's price to a well-known' French house cheers burst forth from the same quarter. At a later stage another firm, supposed to have a German principal, failed to catch the auctioneer's eye, and was unable to secure any lots out of the catalogue. After this there was an exodus from the sale room of three representatives supposed to bo Germans, or to have connections in Germany. Buyers acting on behalt of principals in the United Kingdom, France, Japan and America gave strong support to the market. One Belgian buyer, in fact, bought the whole 165 bales of a crossbred clip, which sold up to the record price in the Sydney market this season.