DUNEDIN WOOL SALES.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 52, 28 December 1899, Page 15

DUNEDIN WOOL SALES.

The first wool sale of the season took place in the Agricultural Hall, Dunedin, on Thursday of last week, when there was a large attendance, including several English, American, and Continental buyers. Over 4200 bales were offered, and competition, especially for the finer sorts, was very keen. This was attributed to the fact that the local buyers were anxious to secure the best kinds for the New Zealand mills. The prices showed an advance on those which ruled at recent sales in other centres in the Colony. This was especially the case with merinos and half breds. The quality of the wool was equal, if not superior to that of former years, being wellgrown and clean. On the whole it is expected, from the samples submitted, that the clips will prove to be the best grown in the Otago province for many years. Compared with the closing rates of last year's Dunedin saleS, merinos showed an advance of from 4d to sd ; halfbreds, 3sd to 4d ; orossbreds, 2d to 3Ad ; and three quarterbred long -wool, \\ to l#d.

Messrs Stronach Bros, and Morris report having held their first sale of the Beason at the Agricultural Hall on Thursday, 21st inst. Owing to the almost continued broken weather recently experienced having interfered with shearing operations, the catalogues were smaller than usual, the total offerings only reaching 4200 bales. There was a very full attendance of buyers, several new faces being present. English, Continental, and American firms were well represented, together with purchasers for Mosgiel, ltoslyn, Oamaru, and Bruce Woollen Mills, and local shippers and fellmongers. Growers and others interested attended in force, and the part of the hall set apart for their accommodation was comfortably filled. Comparing prices with those ruling last season, we find that all descriptions were dearer, the following being the advances obtained : —Greasy half-bred : Super., 4|d ; medium, 3£d. Greasy merino : Super., 5d ; medinm, 4£d. Greasy crossbred, l£d to 2£d. Greasy Longwools, I£d to 2d. The best clip submitted by us was on account of the executors of the late James Fulton (Ravenscliffe, Outram), and with this we topped the market up to time of writing, the halfbred bringitg the satisfactory figure of 13$ d per lb. The crossbred ewe of same clip brought lljd, the Romney wool to BJd, and halfbred pieces lOd. We also obtained 13d for hdftfbred branded 'Craigowan,' and 12£ d for half bred branded 'Cliff.' We had no very good merino forward, the best being branded ' R in Diamond,' which fetched 12$ d per lb.