Rural Topics

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2095, 22 January 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

Rural Topics

LONDON WOOL SALES.

A VERY IRREGULAR MARKET.

(From our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, Dec. G, 1007.

The courso of things in London from -a woolgrowers’ standpoint ie very disappointing, for I am un-ablo to report any improvement whatever on opening values. This week wo luivo had another splendid show of new clip wools, but the prices realised are nothing like what they were iu September. Everything I call down from a penny to 3d Per lb, and wo are now back in sonic cases less than the rates ruling last July. Tho strongest demand continues for good, long combing grease wools, because tlieso nro rather scarce. Tho biggest bulk of the Australian clip this year is shorter than usual, and this is wlioro tho weakness comes in. There is plenty of quality, but the staple lacks density and shaft. Tho trade see/ns us if there is a .surfeit of G4’s and 70’s wool, but good shafty 60’s wool are exceedingly scarce, and these are selling relatively better than tho short, fine wools. Competition is fairly general, and pretty evenly divided betiveon the Homo and Continental trades, all sections alike buying liberally up to a certain point. Some scribes talk about the sales showing spirited competition, but I fail to sco it, and when good new clip grease is only making I2d against- 14d last series, thnt to my mind is no indication of spirit and enquiry, blit- the reverse. America is buying very little indeed, and I don’t think that so far more than 700 bales have been taken for that quarter. Both grease and scoured is faring alike, best scoured boing down 2d to 2id, and the medium classes 2d to 3d. Good greasy lambs sell about as well -as anything, and I don’t call these any more than Id down, and scoured Id. New Zealand slipes because of their scarceness are selling relatively better than straight geasy merino, while nice halfbreads cannot be called more than id to Id decline. Loose, shattery parcels are down Id to 2d, and withdrawals aro very numerous. Ono big, Riverina grower cabled to withdraw all his wools from Tuesday’s catalogue, and I think a mistako has boon mado. The change that has come over tho situation is very radical, and to bo candid I can’t see where any improvement can take place until tho financial stringency is removed. The market to-day lacks confidence, and until these is a restoration of that important factor; wool values must of necessity remain weak and unsatisfactory.

Several crops on Opaki are being harvested, which, from the appearance of the sheaves are hardly worth the expense of cutting (says tho Wairarapa Times). On ono place a binder could bo seen a couple of days ago throwing out sheaves scarcely a foot in height. ~ ~

The Lyttelton Times publishes particulars of some good yields of grain in Canterbury. At Southbridgo a 33-acre paddock of oats yielded 67 bushels to aero ,and a 5-acre block on another farm gavo 74 bushels of Algerians to tho acre. Mr J. Studholme, of Hinds, has a 130-acro paddock in the New Era variety of wheat —extensively grown in the district—which is estimated to pield 50 bushels to the acre.

Rabbit poisoning is having the best season this year it has had for a very :'ong time (says the Wairarapa Times), on many places around Masterton no option but to take the poisoned grain for food, tlio result being that a wholesale destruction is taking place. The drought has done a very great amount of harm to pastures on one hand, but as far as future seasons aro concerned it will have a beneficial influence, if only in reducing tlio ravages of “bunny.”