WOOL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 52, 29 December 1904, Page 13

WOOL.

DUNEDIN WOOL SALES. Messrs. DotnaVd Reid and 00. report as follows :— We hejd our first wool sale of the season's series at the Victoria Hall, Agricultural Buildings, lhmedita, on Thursday, December 22, 1904, when we submitted a catalogue comprising 1227 bales of crossbred, Leicester and merino wools, chiefly farmers' lots grown on the Coast districts. There was a large attendance of buyers— English, foreign, colonial, and local manufactures and wool staplers being very fully represented— who were very keen on business, and competed Avith mudh spirit far the different classes of wool offered which suited their requirements, and this resulted in a brisk a,nd most satisfactory sale. There was also a fair attendance of wool growers, shippers, a-nd others interested in the trade, who evfrvced a keen interest in the proceedings, and appeared satisfied with the prices realised.

The wools displayed by us were largely composed of clips of sheep which had been wintered on turnips and these,, although well grown and sound in staple , were witin some few exceptions, rather dark colored earthstawied, and heavy, and lacked the bright, lustrous appearance (so altraotive to buyers) whkvh characterises the clip of flocks which have been well wintered on grass pastures. All the wools catalogued by us were however, comparatively free from tick stains and the fibre sound and strong, s'howrng that the sjieep had been well nourished and cared for throughout the season It was quite expected that there would be a substantial rise, estimated at from lk'd to 2 id en values as oom.p-ared with those ruling last seaaoiti, and this satisfactory result was fully secured, chiefly by the brwk competition made on behalf of American tr.ade Half-breds showed a rise of lsd to 2^d as compared with the top price of the corresponding sale of last season ; cross breds ami Leicesiters showed a rise of 2d to 3d, and merinos a ri-se of about Id to l£d per tb The total number of bales catalogued by the various brokers for the series was 5G27 bales. Of the 1227 bales calal'og,ue'd by us, 1078 bales were sold under the hammer, 86 bales were pasfced in, bidding not beihg up to -valuations or reserves, and 63 bales were witihdir-awn the clip imot being complete. ' Bidding throughout our sale was very well maintained up to the values above 'named, and for special lots of t»he more lusitnvus wool there was very qjnimatod competition, resulting foi one of the best sales it has been olur pood fortune to conduct, nearly every Jot either at amctiion or privately alterwards. being -placed at full values.