The wool sale prices in Christchurch, New Zealand yesterday closed on tentative record with poorer-coloured crossbred ewe wool being most affected. Buyers' purchases were largely for immediate scouring orders with more active bidding for well-prepared and better-coloured fleece wool, said Dave Burridge, of PGG Wrightson Wool.

Well-styled crossbred ewe fleece dropped 1%, while poorer styles were down 2%-4%. Crossbred hogget and crossbred finer ewe fleece (34 micron and finer) were largely unchanged.

Roger Fuller, of Elders Primary Wool, said that lamb's wool also attracted good demand.

A range of prices.- W.J. Stevenson Trust (Otago), 28 bales Romney hogget, 32.7 micron, 77% yield, 418 greasy, 542 clean; A.B. Sutton (Otago), 16 bales Romney hogget, 37.5 micron, 74.5% yield, 375 greasy, 503 clean; S. Stevenson (Otago), 59 bales Romney 2-tooth, 34.5 micron, 73.8% yield, 369 greasy, 500 clean; Melville S.J. Ltd (Otago), 31 bales Romney AA, 35 micron, 74.8% yield, 385 greasy, 515 clean; Ashdown Farm Ltd (Otago), six bales Perendale lambs, 29.5 micron, 7