A TOTAL of 568.6 million free Halifax shares are to be sold immediately, representing 23 per cent of the total, it was confirmed yesterday. The Halifax, which floats on the stock market on Monday, said this was the total number of shares which would be offered for sale in the initial stock market auction which was being held. Bids for this must have been lodged by 6 p.m. yesterday. Halifax members are holding on to 1,732 million shares, representing 69 per cent of the total.