LONDON WOOL REPORT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8439, 10 May 1907, Page 3

LONDON WOOL REPORT.

■• (From Our London Correspondent.) LONDON, March 29. The second series of colonial wool sales of the current year, which opened on the 12th instant, closed on the 27th. The available quantities were approximately as follows: —New South Wales, 32,000 bales; Queensland, 19,000 bales; Victorian, 19,000 bales; South Australian, 6,500 bales; West Australian 9,000; Tasmanian, 1,500; New Zealand, 75,500; South African, 5,500; total, 168,000 bales. Of the quantity sold, about seventy thousand bales have been taken for export, including some 10,000 bales purchased for shipment to America. . Messrs Chas. Balme and Co. report that during the interval which has elapsed since the close of January auctions, business has been very active in the manufacturing districts both in England and on the Continent, and consumption, particularly of the finer grades of wool, has been unusually large. Machinery in America is also reported to be fully employed. In these circumstances, competition has been animated throughout the sales, the large quantities brought forward daily having been practically cleared on satisfactory terms. Among merinos, average to good sorts, both scoured and greasy, have sold readily at an advance of 5 per cent, on January final quotations. The position of superior, as well as inferior and faulty lots, however, has not undergone any appreciable alteration, although the tendency of the market has been in sellers' favour. Fine crossbreds in the grease have fully maintained previous rates. Medium growths, when in light condition, have been in demand on American account at last sales' closing parity, while coarse grades of good style have ruled from par to 5 per cent, above that level; inferior ' and poor-conditioned parcels, however, of medium and coarse quality, miny of which are unusually heavy this season, have sold somewhat irregularly. Scoureds and slipes, which were in small supply, have made very full prices. South African greasies rose 5 par cent, at the outset; this imDrovement was fully maintained for long, light -conditioned wools, but values for heavy wasting lots receded with the progress of the auctions, final rates being on a par with those current f-v January. Snow-whites and scoureds, which were very scarce, were the turn dearer. In the present satisfactory state of the industry, the requirements of machinery appear quite sufficient to absorb this season's production of colonial wool. Old stocks are practically exhausted, and fresh supplies are going into consumption unusually . freely; consequently, unless business , receives a check, of which at present ;: there are no signs, a maintenance of I, current quotations appears probable I < for some time to come. We now 11 quote:—Australasian. Merino in (; grease: superior, Is 2d to Is 6d; [ ' average to good, Is to Is Id; poor ' condition, 8d to lljd; inferior pieces J and locks, 4d to Bd. Merino, scoured superior, exceptional lots, 2s 4d to 2s 6d;,superior, 2s' OJd to 2s3sd; average to good, Is BJd to 2s; inferior, Is 2Jc| to ls.Bd; faulty pieces and locks, 9d to Is 2d; fleece-washed exceptional lots, 2s 2d to 2s 6Jd. Merino lambs-wool, fleece washed, 2s to 3s 3Jd; in grease, superior, . Is 5d to Is 9d; in greaße, superior, Is Id to Is 4Jd; medium, 10Jd to Is OJd; inferior, 6Jd to lOd. Crossbred in grease, fine, exceptional lots, *ls 4d i to Is 6d; in grease, fine, 11 Jd 1 to Is 3£d; medium, exceptional lots Is 2d to Is 3Jd; medium, IOJd to Is l | Ijjd; coarse, 9Jd to Is Id; inferior pieces and locks, 5Jd to 9d; lambs 9Jd to Is 4d. Crossbred, scoured, fine, Issdto 2s OJd; coarse, lid to Is s|d. Crossbred, sliped, fine, 11J d to Is 6d; coarse, 10Jd to Is 2d. South African. Snow white, super, Is lid to 2s ljd; medium, Is BJd to Is 10Jd; inferior, Is 6d to Is Bd. Grease, combing, 7Jd to Is; clothing, 6Jd to IOJd.