AUCTIONEER'S REPORT.

Press, Volume XXXI, Issue 4264, 29 March 1879, Page 4

AUCTIONEER'S REPORT.

Mess— : H. Matsc_? ajtd Co. report on the live stock market, Ac, for the week ending: Friday, -larch 28th, as follows :— Live Btock.—Last Wednesday's Fale at the Addington yards again exhibited a falling' off in ths quantity of stock penned under the previous week's numbers, much to the advantage of all concerned, as the crowded state of the market for some months past has been such as to be fax in advance of the demand, necessarily upsetting the equality of values, making them both irregular and unsatisfactory. For several weeks the supply has been much lighter, giving; "the trade" an opportunity of clearing their paddocks, and on Wednesday last the competition for all classes of aheep, especially prime quality mutton, was decidedly keener, and nearly all lines were cleared at slightly advanced rates. In beef there is little or no improvement in values, prices being as varied as the quality to hand, and for light weights extremely low rates are ruling. Of store cattle thero were very few on offer, and prices obtainable afforded no inducement for larger supplies. The totals yarded for the day comprised 2 'G head of cattle. 4332 sheep, and 92 pigs, of which our entry comprised 171 head of cattle, 1337 sheep, and Sj^„, f< K.?r> a - B- Gray. MessrsA._X Kinley. C. Wainwright, T". Patchett, John Chapman, Dr. Frankiah. W. B. Andrews, Jas. Kinley, B. —-rrocks. John Ferguson, W.-Hayes, Bruce and Coe, B. MeNally, Ker. A. F. OVaUaghan, J. McColl, W. Chapman, John Simpson, D. Dann, Miheroff, P. Denton, W. Simmonds, P. B. Neshit, M. Daily, T. H. Parkinson, Sunderland, E. Tubman, Phillis, E. M. Templar, Harris, C. B. Leadley, _c_enzie, P. Duncan, Vogel, A. M. Philpotts, B. Hinton, _. Bennett, Jas. Hamilton, J. Wilson, W. B, Clarkson, John Toon, J. Harding, and others. In fat cattle oar principal sales were—2 at £8 2s Gd, 4 at £7 15s, 4 at £7 ss, 5 at £7 10s, 5 at £6, 2 at £8, 4 at £7 2s Gd, 3 at £7 ss, 5 at £7 17s Gd, 4 at £7 2s 6d; stores, 18 at £1, 7 at £3 15s, 5 at £2 12s 6d, 10 at £119s; calves, 4 at 265, 4 at 12s, 4 at £2 2s 6d, 7 at £210s, Ac. Sheen—loo mixed crossbred, at 9s, 50 crossbred ewes at 9s, 75 mixed at 7s, 93 at 7b. 31 at 7s 9d, 50 at 7a, 20 at 9a; stores. 38 ewes at 4s 6d; lambs. 62 at 3s, 64 at 4s Id; breeding crossbred ewes, 203 at 3s, 25 at 5s 9d; fat lambs to 6s 6d; pigs (in good demand), 8 small stores at 7s, 8 at ss, 3 at ISs, 7 at 10s 6d, 9 at 7a, 4 at 225, Ac. Country Auctions — Last week at Bruea-Coe Lodge, consequent on the dissolution ot partnership of Messrs Brace and Coe, we held one of the largest clearing sales of farming stock lately held in this part of the province. The sale extended over two days (Thursday and Friday), and included 300 head of cattle, 6000 sheep, 50 horses, and a large quantity of implements, Ac. There was a fair attendance of buyers, ample accommodation having been provided for the visitors. Tho instructions of the vendors being imperatively " sen," every lot was cleared with, varied success, horses and cattle "realising " well, whilst sheep and implements met with a doll and dragsfing sale, at extremely low ' rates. The Lincoln flock were disposed of with great difficulty, and at prices which must have been disheartening to the breeders, the bulk n-ikin; from 2 to 3 guineas each, whilst a few picked ewes realised up to 19 guineas; the same sheep would have made 40 to 50 guineas two years ago, still our instructions weald admit of no modification, and every line changed ownership. The following aro some of the prices of the principal lots of sheep and cattle sold .—2OO 2-tooth ewes at ss, 409 at 4s 31, 505 at 4s 6d, 416 at 5s 9d, 815 at 4s 6d. 158 at 5s Cd. 102 at 5s 6.1,132 at 3s 3d, 589 at 6s, 95 at 2s 7d, 1260 at 6s Cd, 421 lambs at 2s 3d, 903 do at 4s lid. Cattle—6 steers at £7 11.°, 10 at £8 17a 6d, 10 at £6 12s 6d, 11 at £6 15s, 5 at £7 ss, 8 at £6 15s, 15 at £6 17s 6d, 13 at £6 ss, 8 at £6 2s 6d, 11 at £6 2s 6d, 9 at £5 15s, 15 _t £6 li?s 6d, 19 heifers at £6 7s 6d, 15 do at £6,13 at £6 7s 6d, S at £6 7s 6d, 10 at £6, 22 at £6 ss. 12 at £3 15s, S at £3 2s 6d, 9 at £6, Ac On Tuesdiy last, 25th, at Leeston, wo held a clearing sale of farming stock on account of Mr E. Giliett, who is leaving for the North Island. There was a large attendance, aud every lot, comprising 1500 aheep, 20 horses, and a quantity of cattle and implements, were cleared, with a brisk sale, at satisfactory values. Wool, Sheepskins, Hides and Tallow—At the usual weekly sale of tho above, held yesterday at our Canterbury stores, 3739 sheepskins, 253 lambskins, 15* bags and packages of butchers' rough fat, 6 casks of tallow, and S3 or-hides comprised the catalogue. There was a fair attendance of woolscourers, fellniongera, and others, and competition, although languid, was a little better than last week, ill lots beinij cleared at prices as nnder:—Full wool skins, 3s 6d to 4s 6d; best crossbred pelts, Is 6d, Is 9d to 2s Id: medium do. Is, Is 2d to Is id; best merinos, Is Id. Is 3d to lssd; second quality, 7d, 9d to lid; longskina, 2s, 2s 3d to 2s 6d; inferior; Sd, Is, Is 3d to is 6d ; rough fat, best dry, well saved. l|d, l|dto2d per lb.; seeoud quality, IJd, l{d to lid; inferior and heated, Id per lb. ; cask tallow, 19s to 21s per cwt.; salted ox-hides, 3Jd; green, 2\d; cilfakins, 4d per lb. Canterbury Horse Market—At Tattersatl's on Saturday last, 114 horses, including the usual assortment of heavy draughts, hacks, spring cart and light harness horses were submitted to auction for tho day's sale. Of the above number we offered, on account of Mr P. Mcßae, of Marlborough, SO horses, imported from that province, a few useful carriage horses being the chief feature of the consignment, the balance bein* below the general average of the district. "Biddings were anything bat brisk, and only about half were quitted at prices r_-s—g from £9 to £20 10s. making an average of £13 13s each. We a'so offered, on account of Messrs Vile and Harding, a line cf 30 medium weight plough horses, imported from Wellington, but prices offered being far below market values, the whole line was withdrawn for the following week's [ sale. Of our general entries the proportion fold ' was scarcely up to the avenge. There are plenty ' of buyers in the market, but the co-tinued scarcity of feed, comparative suspension of ploughing. Ac., and general depression cf trade, prevents business being done to any extent. Onr quotations areYoung, sound, staunch working heavy plough horses, £15 to £55; medium do., £31 to £42; spring cart horses, £34 to £30; well-bred hacks and harness horses, £20 to -26; ordinary do., £14 to £18; weeds, £S to £_. Onr auction salea of Merchandise, Furniture, Ac, during the week have been as follows: — Saturday, 22nd instant, we held a gift auction for the benefit of the German Church, at which a large q—atity of miscellaneous goods were sold at good prices. . .. j, *_ Monday, 21th, the large piece of land known as DaJgety's, Triangle, belonging to Mr Willi-m Wi—m, _ Hig-a street, C_ristehureli. waa offered. There was a very hrge attendance, but the biddings were very slow. No. 1, a valuable corner section, having a frontage of 83 feet to High street and 115 feet to Tuam street, with, the offices, strong room, Ac, was bong— in at £24 per foot frontage to High street. So. 2. havingsS feet 3 inches to High street by a dep'h of 80 fear, with part of the store erected upon it, was sold to Messrs Kempt—orae. Pro—er . and Co. at £25 per foot, So. 3, wjth 30 feet frontage by SO feet, was sold at £20 10_-to the same firm. Who also purchased Nos. 4 aad 5, with the sime frontages and depths, the former at £20 and the latter at £19 10s per toot. No. 6 was withdrawn at £1710s, and the

•hole of the remaining sections, as also those near. the Scotch Stores, were withdrawn. On Tne—ay, Wednesday, and Th_—_y,the 2S_, 28th, and -7th,'we held a, huge sJeof for—tuts, glassware, pianos, and other f arnißhiag articles. . A large quantity was sold at "fair prices, hut the prevailing depression was sensiMytelt. On Thursday, the 27th, wo also held a sale of a lirge parcel of Black Swan tobacco in bond, bnt it was passed in at Bid per lb. The same day we also held a sale at the warehouses of Messrs Dalgety, Nichols and Co., at which a very extensive assortment of merchandise.was offered. There was a larrfe attend-noe' of the trade, but the gathering appeared to come more from curiosity than busines». The biddings were very slow, and the sale extremely heavy, notwithstanding the liberal terms offered. Fine Congous in small lota prodnced Is 4d per lb. in bond; fine crystal saga—, £30 10s and £31 ss ; Devoe's diamond kerosene realized 10$ d per gallon i.b. Cornsacks, full weights, brought 7a 64 per dozen. The great bulk of the goods offered were obliged to be withdrawn. It is at the present time almost impossible to effect sales of any description of merchandise, for not only is the market greatly overstocked, but in the present stringent state of the money market dealers and traders show a wise discretion in not increasing their liabilities. Every body is talking of the tightness of the money market, and the existing depression is by no means lessened through idle gossip. We doubt if any province can show a more sound or solid position than that of Canterbury, and we fully expect that a very few months will produce a favourable change. We hear of large sums of money coming out from England for investment upon mortgage.