LIVE STOCK MARKETS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 283, 30 November 1931, Page 4

LIVE STOCK MARKETS.

POSITION IN TARANAKI

BUSINESS EXTREMELY QUIET

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

NFW PLYMOUTH, Sunday

The wool sale at Auckland was an event that many stock owners and dealers in Taranaki had been waiting for for over a month, as an indication of the season's prospects. Given a maintenance of the London prices, which represented a 10 per cent rise on values of wool classes that New Zealand mostly supplies, there should have been a healthy reaction in Taranaki stock markets, which last week were depressed as much as ever. • Paddock business and private sales have been extremely quiet throughout the whole province, although auction sales have eontinned to attract larger entries than usually marks the present time of the year. Competition generally, however, has drugged, and there has been little alteration in values which reigned during last week and the week previously. The break in the weather has held up shearing activities to some extent, but the Farmers' Cooperative Society in Taranaki reports that wool has come forward rapidly, and that stores have received huge quantities daily. Store sheep have been in demand, but supplies forthcoming have been moderate only, vendors being reluctant to quote in the face of uncertainty. Two-tooth wethers sold have ranged from 8/6 to 9/6, with four-tooths up to 10/6. Ewes and lambs have commenced to find outlets, and prices for'lots sold have ranged • from 14/ to 19/. Fat sheep have stabilised temporarily, and good wethers have been sold (to butchers) at 13/, the works price being 11/6. Fat ewes in quantity are now available at from 7/6 to 9/6, works prices being about 6/0. Slackness, with little business, is the | condition of the store cattle section. Dry! weather conditions, broken by a good drench of rain, but with benefits detracted by pi - evalence of winds, have made the prospects of beef on both coasts rather' obscure, and purchasers' values are inclined to be conservative. Fat cows have made to £G 10/, with medium £5 to £5 15/. Fat cows at the yards have met fair competition at prices ranging from £3 15/ to £5 10/. Weaner heifers still are in demand, and some sales have taken place despite an easing in the price, good heifers making £3 10/ to £4 10/, and hold-overs up to £2 10/. There- is uncertainty regarding the export value of lambs, and the schedule is being brought back to about sd, with usual reductions. Fair numbers have been absorbed by freezing works' buyers, but there has not been keen competition. There is generally a shortage of young sheep—a position that may be considered to be due to the rather large numbers of lambs absorbed by works' buyers during the close of last season.

Newton King, Ltd., report that at their Hawera sale there was one of the largest yardings of cattle that has featured that fixture for some months. Local competition for a line of two-tooth wethers was strong, and one line changed hands ;.t 11/ au'ct another at 10/. Yearling- Jersey heifers in good numbers ranged from £2 15/ to £3 7/, while other realisations were: Fat cows, £4 15/ to £5 5/; stores, £1 7/ to £1 .13/; sound dairy cows r.w.b., £1 17/6; works bulls, £2 to £3 15/; weaner pigs, 9/ to 13/: stores, £1 4/; unfinished, porkers, £1 10/0. '