Ashburton Stock Market.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume xxviii, Issue 7031, 20 November 1906, Page 3

Ashburton Stock Market.

ASHBUKTON YARDS. The attendance at the live stock market at the Ashburton yards to-day was considerably larger than has been the case for some time past. There was about the usual yarding of cattle, but the number of sheep penned-both stores and fats— showed a decided increase on reoent markets. CATTLE —Sixteen head of store cattle were yarded, and they met a fair sale. Six ycung steers realised 23s apiece ; four , forward steers -82 10s ; old cows 20s to 37s 6d; and springers £5 5s to £6. Fat cattle —Only ten head came forward, and the demand quickly absorbed the supply at well up to recent quotations. Heifers brought £5 7s 6d, £6 15s to £7 12s 6d ; cows £5 2s 6d, £5 17s 6d to £6, and £8 2s 6d for an extra prime beast; steers £4s 10s, £5 7s 6d to £G ss. Fat Sheep—The high prices ruling recently on scanty markets was probably in a measure responsible for the large num- j ber of fat sheep which came forward, the j entry totalling about 1400 head. Competition in the early stages of the market was fairly good, although there was a drop back to normal rates, but towards the olose | of the fat section the supply proved to be in I excess of the demand, and bids could not be elicited. The few fat 'lambs in brought from Ids to 16s. Four-tooth shorn ewes realised from 15s to 15s 3d; medium shorn ewes 9s 9d to 11s 9d, and best grade do. 13s 5d to 15s 9d. Most of the fat woolly ewes entered were passed, buyers and sellers' ideas of values not coinciding. A good number of wethers were penned, and most were cleared. Medium sorts out of the wool brought 16s 6d to 17s 9d; while be t butchers, wethers realised up to 193 7d. Merino wethers out of the wool ranged from 108 8d to Us Id. Individual sales were : — Fat ewes :—2l shorn ewes 13s 7d ; 20 do 15s Id; 11 do 13 lOdj 14 do 9b 9dj2 do 15s 9d | 7 do 10s 6d ; 17 do 13s 7d ; 14 do 13s sci ; 13 do 14s 2d; 2 do 11s 9d ; 16 do 14b SJ; 33 aged do 6s 9d } 2 shorn four tooth ewes 15s j24 do 15s 3d ;22 do 15s 2d ; 18 woolly ewes 18s 3d ; 18 do 208 lOd j 15 crossbred woolly ewes 19s 6d ; 2 woolly maiden ewes 17 a; 3 woolly merino ewes 14s; 16 early shorn do 15s ; and 12 ewes and 12 well forward lambs ali counted 12s 7d. Fat wethers—6 shorn four tooth wethers 18s 3d, 1 do 19s 6d, 3 do 17s 9d, 2 fat shorn wethers 19s 7d, 5 do 16/ i 6d, 3 do 17s 6d, 70 do 18s 7d, 10 do 19s, 41 do 17s Sd, 10 do 19s, 102 do 16s 4d, 21 early shorn wethers 19s, 2 woolly wethers 22s 3d, 27 shocc merino do 10s 8d,74 do 10s lid, 16 do 11k Id. Fat lambs—6 fat lambs 14s 9d, 4do 14s, 1 do 15s 9d, 1 do 16s. i Lines passed at auotion in the fat sheep pens were:—3l shorn ewes 13g, 11 do 15f, 27 aged do 6s 6d, 40 do 13s, 20 woolly maidion ewes 21s, 14 shorn do 15s-9d, 32 early I shorn 4 and 6-tooth maiden ewes 15s lid, 19 4-tooth shorn ewes 17s, 10 fat woolly ewes 22s 6d, 20 do 19s, 36 do 203 6d, 6 woolly hoggets 17a 9d, 3 do 19s, and 396 early Bhorn LA wethers 17s 3d. Stobk Sheep.—The store sheep sale was a most doleful proceeding, the dry spell causing the bottom to again fall out of the market. There was very little bidding, and, in the cases where business oould have been transacted, aellera were not disposed to accept the prices offered. From the remarks of farmere it appears that the re cent falls of rain have not been general throughout the county, some places benefiting decidedly more than others. Feed is stated to be scarce in certain districts, while elsewhere, although at present the -pastnt m ats fakljr good ©ace

they are fed off, rain will be required to give them a start again, and at present graziers are not taking any risks. Of an entry of 3200 head, only one line—-68 aged halfbred woolly ewes, and 40 lambs—were sold. These the owner stated must be sold,

whatever he got, as he had no feed, and he " did sot want to take them home again to starve." Bidding started at 2s, and the lot was ultimately knocked down nt the meagre price of 4s 9d, all counted.

The Care ov Trees—Councillor Ferriman is greatly concerned about the welfare of the walnut trees planted at great expense by the Borough Council on the North East Belt. In the course of hiß remarks on the subject at last night's meeting of the Borough Council, he said that if the treeß were now protected by iron 'railings in time they would make one of the sights of the borough. An inducement whiohCounoillora thought should occur to the adjacent residents, was that if they looked after the trees now, at a future time they would " get the nuts." (Cr Clark: " They might not.") Cr Reid was of an opposite opinion. Any protection for the trees should be at once removed " as the more you knock about a tree, the better it gets on." Cr Davison was about to combat this statement, when the aubjeot was referred to a committee to report as to methods of protection.

Career Cut Short.—Two scamps who had been "ringing theobanges" on the business people of Temuka till about 9.30 on Saturday night, visited the shop of Mr H. T. Clinch, and were being served by hia daughter, whom they endeavoured to disconcert in the change for a half-sovereign; but Mr Clinch, on being called, ejeoted the men from the premises. They then bad high words on the division of theßpoi), and Constables Gillospie and Macquarrie arrested both men, The two men had been arrested by Constable Sweeney, in Timaru, a few days before on ohargeß of drunken ness, aa first offenders. It is stated that they had then . attempted to " ring the ohanges" at many places, but their attempts ended in failure. At the watchhouse they gave their names as Martin Hobba and Thomas Coles.

Fifty years ago the height of a very tall British woman was 6ft 7in; now tho height averages from sft 6in to sft lOin.