The Local Market. 891 



THE LOCAL MARKET. 



October, 1920. 



(Note. — The local market prices of certain other agricultural produce and 

 stock are published elsewhere in this issue.) 



WOOL. 



Since the issue of the previous report the market has remained inactive, and 

 very little business has been done. In view of the threatened coal strike buj^ers 

 were holding back awaiting developments, and until the industrial difficulties 

 in England have been settled it is not expected that business of any importance 

 will be done. To what extent the market will recover is impossible to predict. 

 There is at present a great surplus of wool on hand, and until this surplus 

 has been used up it is feared there will be no appreciable improvement in prices. 



At the various Union ports there are at present approximately 122,000 

 bales unsold wool of last season's clip, consisting of about 10 per cent, super 

 combing, 60 per cent, medium, and 30 per cent, short wools. As there does not 

 seem to be any prospect of these being disposed of at present, farmers are 

 advised to store their wool up country so as to avoid heavy storage charges at 

 the ports. The forwarding of large quantities of wool to the ports at the 

 present time may also tend to further reduce the prices. 



Cable advices from England state that at the latest wool sales held at Hull 

 there was a further decline of 5 per cent, for average combing wool as compared 

 with the previous London sales. 



In view of the very depressed ard unsettled state of the market, and almost 

 complete absence of orders from overseas markets, it is quite impossible to quote 

 ruling prices for the various types of wool at the ports. 



MOHAIR. 



The market in mohair is lifeless, and there has been no inquiry for this 

 commodity of late. Reports from London state that the position in regard 

 to all classes of mohair remains very unsatisfactory, and still lower prices are 

 expected. The mohair markets of England and America are dead, and it is 

 difficult to effect sales. There is no demand for yarn ; in many instances orders 

 have been cancelled, and as a consequence the mills in Yorkshire are working 

 short hours. It is, therefore, impossible to give reliable quotations for mohair. 



HIDES AND SKINS. 



The market for all descriptions remains very quiet, buyers displaying no 

 interest whatsoever, and prices show a decline of about 25 per cent., with a 

 downward tendency. The following prices have lately been obtained: — 



Sound long-wooUed sheepskins 

 Damaged long- woolled sheepskins .. 

 Sound shoit-wonlled sheepskins 

 Damaged short -woulled sheepskins .. 

 Sound pelts 



Damaged pelts 



Coarse and coloured, sound ... 



Sun-dried, sound 

 Sun-dried, damaged ... 



