LATE COMMERCIAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 11 December 1913, Page 5

LATE COMMERCIAL.

CHRISTCHURCH WOOL SALES LOW PRICES CONTINUE (By Telegraph — Preu Auociation.) OHRISTCHUECH, Last Night. The first wool sale of the season was held to-day witen there were only 14,409 bales offered, as compared with 17,691 at the December sales : last year. The offerings also included the amount catalogued for the November sale, which was abandoned on account of the strike. The falling off is partly due to the broken weather, delaying shearing and to the growers holding back their ,woolj in consequence of the strike and to the fall in prices. > There was :alarge attendance of buyers," 40 and 50 occupying seats in the';' ring; all sections of the trade ' being represented. The fair in prices - recorded at Auckland, Napier, and Wellington sales prepared growers and brokers for a'similar result at the Christchurch sale, but prices Tver© even lower than was anticipated, and a considerable proportion of wool was passed in. The fall is partly due to the lower tone of the Home markets and partly to the condition of wool, which is not nearly equal to that of last year's clip. The wool is thinner and shows more yolk, and is not so clean as last year's. The class of wool offered was, however, generally suitable for the Continent, and buyers for that 'market were the principal operators. The local woollen mills took the little merino that wat offered, and at prices fully equal to last year's, and they also purchased some of the best half bred clips. The wool scourers did fiot operate to any extent. The-drop fri values was very considerable for all; classes except merino. There was fair competition throughout up to buyers' limits, but the sale lacked the animation: that characterised "the sales. last season. The range of prices was as follows: Merino IOJd to 13d, halfbreds 7sd to 123 d, Corriedale 9*4 to 12jd, f-breds 72d to 10 id, crossbred 7sd to 9-Jd, long wool B*d to 9£d> down w001.'9-Jd to lid, halfbred pieces 5Jd to 10$ d, crossbred pieces 4fd to 7|d, locks and crutchings 3£d to 7£. At the December sale last year 'nerino wool, sold up to 13d, halfbred to 13-jd, Corriedale to 13Jd, -J-bred to 13|d, crossbred to 13H» long wool to 10£ d, down wool to 13d, halfbred pieces to 12d, and crossbred pieces to lid. WOOL, SKIN, AND HIDE SALE. Messrs Levin and Co;, Ltd., report: We held our usual wool and skin sale on Wednesday, when we submitted a catalogue of 21 bales of wool, 60 bags of wool, 1750 sheepskins, 450. hides and calfskins, and a quantity of. talldw, rabbitskins • and horsehair. There was the usual attendance of buyers; but prices, in sympathy with the general drop in the market; showed a decline of T|d to 2d on last sale rates. We quote:—• Wool.—Crossbred golod Bd, coarse 7|d to 7£d, dead 7d to 7Jd, inferior dead 4£d, crutehings )id, bellies and pieces lid to 6£d, locks 3|d to 4|d. Sheepskins.—Best crossbred 7id to 7£d, second crossbred 6£d, half-wools 4fd to 6d, quarter-wools 3fd to sd, aborts 3d to s|d, pelts' 3£d to sd, lambs 4£d to ojd, hoggets dead 4|d to s£d, crossbred dead o\d to) s£d, damp crossbred 3s Id to 6s 6d, damp lambs Is 3d to 3s 9d'. Hides.—Ox good 7£d to Sd, cut and slippy ox 3£d to 7§d, cow l>est 7£d to 7|d, cut and slippy cdhv 6d to 6|d, calf good 9fd, cut and slippy calf 3d to 7:? d. . Tallow—Casks 235s 6d, tins 22s to 235, rough fat 12s. Horsehair.—lOd to Is sd. Rabbitskins.—o£d to Is. Our next sale will be held on January 21st. 191-1. LONDON MARKETS. Messrs Dalgety and Co., Ltd., Wellington, have received the following cablegram from their London office "dated '6th December, reading as follows: Wool.—The market is weak and irregular and prices are easier except for fine wools. The sales will close on 9th Deecmber. Frozen Meat—'Beef: Prime ox, fores 4.d, hinds 4fd. Lamb: Canterbury, heavv sd, light 5Jd; North Island, heavv sd, light s|d. Mutton: North Island, heavy and light 5. The quotations are nominal. There is a good demand for frozen meat, and a continuation of the high prices is expected for some time. Tallow.—Mixed, fair to good 3d te 6d per cwt lower. Other descriptions 3d per cwt lower. There is a limited demand at the decline.