WOOL MARKET

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 January 1939, Page 3

WOOL MARKET

SALE AT AUCKLAND. DECLINE IN PRICES.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, January 24. A decline of approximately IJd lb on prices paid at the first wool sale of the season held in Auckland last November occurred at the second Auckland sale in the Town Hall today. There was a full bench of buyers and bidding was brisk, but not spectacular. The average price was estimated at about 8d lb, or £ll 13s 4d a bale. The clearance was approximately 85 per cent of the offering of 24,000 bales, and on this basis the return to growers is estimated at about £240,000. The average price at the first Auckland sale of the season was 9.76 d lb, or £l4 2s lid a bale, and the return was £339,896. Active participation by the United States and a measure of interest on the part of Japan were features of the sale. The bulk of the offering, however, went to the Continent, Germany being more prominent than France among European buyers. Bradford was well in the market, but little interest was displayed by local mills. The consensus of opinion among experts was that the whole sale was slightly easier than Wanganui values, good wools being firm, while shabby and inferior wools were about a farthing lower. With international competition keen, bidding was spirited, but it remained within well-defined limits. There was little demand for finer sorts, but crossbred was keenly sought. It was rare, however, for bidding to rise more than {•d at a time and seldom when half a dozen buyers called the same bid did one hasten to clinch the -deal by offering another fractional rise. Both the declining trend of the market and the effect of an unfavourable winter contributed toward the lower prices offered. Though prices were lower, the proportion of passings to sales was not exceptional and, at an estimated average 85 per cent of the offering sold, the clearance is regarded as quite satisfactory. Top price at the sale was 14“ d a lb for seven bales of Corriedale AA grown by the late Mr T. L. Vining, Mangatangi. Mr Vining’s death occurred this week. Attractive prices were also realised by the remainder of rhe clip. Competition between Germany and Bradford was marked on occasions, and the United States also entered briskly into the bidding, particularly for crossbred wools. French activity, which has marked earlier sales, was overshadowed by keen German bidding, though France took a substantial quantity of the clip. Four Japanese buyers who had appraised the clips last week took no active part in the sale. It is the practice, however, when Japan is in the market for some of the big hauses with customers the world over to undertake the buying, and this was the case today. Opinion was unanimous that Japan was buying. The range of prices was as follows: January, November

Southdown A .... 1939. 1938. d. d. d. d. 9 to 9.3 91 to .101 Southdown B .... 8 to 8.7 81 to 9.’, Halfbred, 56/’8— Extra super .... — 14 to 15 Super 11 to 11.3 13 to 14 Average 9 to 10 12 to 121 Halfbred, 50/56— Super 10.? to 11 121 to 13 Average 10 to 101 H to 113 Inferior 81 to 91 9 to 10 Extra Fine Crossbred, 48/50— Super 10} to 101 11 to 12 Average 9 to 10 101 to 11 Inferior 8 to 8? 9 to 10 Fine Crossbred, 46/48 — Super 91 to 10 103 to 11:1 Average 83 to 91 10 to 101 Inferior 73 to 83 81 to 93 Medium Crossbred. 44/46 — Super 91 to 10 101 to 11 Average 83 to 9.1 91 to 10.} Inferior 71 to 81 9 to 9.1 Coarse Crossbred 40/44— Super 91 to 10 101 to 11 Average 83 to 9.', 91 to 10.1 Inferior 71 to 81 9 to 9.1 Strong Crossbred 36/40— Super 101 to 111 10.1 to 103 Average 91 to 11.1 91 to 10 Inferior 81 to 9 9 to 91 Hoggets— 52/56 10 to ID, HI to 12 50/56 91 to 101 111 to 12 48/50 9 to 10 10J to 111 46/48 9 to 10 93 to 11 Lambs, Down — Crossbred 8 to 9 — Fine 8 to 11 to 8 Medium 71 to 10 — Seedy and inferior .... 41 to 7 — Bellies and Pieces — Crossbred: Good to super 71 to 81- 71 to 83 Low to med. 5 to 7 61 to 71 Half bred: 7 to 9 91 to 6 Crutchings— Med. to good 7 to 8 7 to 8 Inf. to seedy 43 to 6 4.3 to 5 Locks — Crossbred 3 to 3.3 4,| to 43