QUALITY HAMS SOUGHT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 146, 2 April 1948, Page 5

QUALITY HAMS SOUGHT

COMMERCIAL

NEGLECT OF INFERIOR LINES Sheep of good quality were assured of a steady demand from buyers at the annual ram fair of the Timaru Agricultural and Pastoral Association, held at the showgrounds yesterday. Because of an over-supply of the market, indifferent lots showed a considerable easing in price, some pens failing to reach the upset price of two guineas, and others being sold at that figure. The fair will be continued tomorrow. ,■ Until late afternoon there was little variation on flock prices, but it appeared that the first day’s catalogue would not be completed before dusk with the ring selling, and auctioneers resorted to the old system of selling by pen. By 5.80 o’clock bids were slackening, and rams which had fetched 14 guineas an hour before dropped to eight guineas or less, and passings were frequent. The sale was stopped at 7 o’clock and unregistered sheep which were still to come forward will be the first line at to-day’s sale. Some auctioneers and buyers were of opinion yesterday that in future the number of sheep brought forward for the sale should be limited. Genuine breeders could be catered for, as was the practice in the Worth Island. Ashburton sales were : Stud Sheep Border Leicester—R. J. Low (Mt. Hutt.) 1 at 45gns; G. Letham (Winchmore) 1 at 12gns. Southdown—R. ,T. Low, 1 at SOgns. Ryeland—R. J. Low, 1 at 20gns, 1 at 25gns. Border Leicester ew'e—S. Crossan (Lagmhor) 1 at 12gns, 1 at lOgns.

Flock Sheep

Border Leicesters—D. D. Stewart (Ashburton) 2 at 4|gns, 1 at s|gns, S, Crossan, 1 at 6|gns, 8 at 7gnsD. J Stewart (Kakaia) 2 at 6|gns, 2 at s|gnsi; H. A. Jones (Carew) 3 at 7gns, 1 at Sgn-s, 2 at 7|gns; S. G. Lemon (Lauriston) 2 at 6Jgns, 2 at 6gns, 1 at 7gns. • Southdown—R. T. Latimer (Eiffelton) 2 at 7-Jgns ; R. J. Low 2 at Signs. Ryelands—R. J. Tarbotton (Tinwald) 22 at 7|gns.