LIVE STOCK, &c.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8476, 6 May 1893, Page 5

LIVE STOCK, &c.

The New Zealand Loan and. Mercantile Agency Company, Limitkd, report on the live stock market for the week ending May 4th, as follows: — At # Addington on May 3rd, stock was yarded, viz., sheep 11,871, cattle 354, and pigs 564. Store Sheep. — The fortnight's warm, moist weather, has brought on feed ab an extraordinary rate for this season of the year. Buyers for certain classes of sheep show more inclination to operate than of late/ Yesterday's entry of about 5000, however, did nob include anything particularly attractive to buyers, und busine-s was dull, especially for North Island and Chatliam sheep, which formed a good proportion of the entry. Store crossbred lambs brought 10s, two-tooth crossbreds 11b to 13s, four-tooth do 14s sd, aged crossbred ewes 9s, Chatham Island crossbred wethers 8s to 10s Bd. We sold 200 halfbred ewes at lis 4d, 300 ab lis 6d, 200 crossbred wethers at 10s 7d.

Fat Lambs—An average yarding of medium to prime quality mot a very dull enquiry, butchers' requirements being small, and a partial block at our factories being the cause. Prices realised were — Prime lis to 123 6d, medium 9s to 10s 3d. We sold 18 at 10s 4d, 12 at 10s 2d, 13 at 10s 6d, 13 at 12s 3d, 15 at 10s lid, 16 at lis 6d.

Fat Sheep—This class was well represented, both as regards numbers and quality. Prune crossbreds predominated ; good quality crossbred ewes in fair proportion and merino wethers of very moderate supply, but prime as a whole. Butchers' competition kept values up to par early in tbe sale, bub as their requirements became satisfied prices for all sorts became easier. Exporters were competing bub very apathetically, space in the factories being at a premium. Values ranged, viz.—Prime crossbred wethers 16s to 18s, light do 13s 6d to 15s 6d, crossbred ewes 10s to 15s, merino wethers 8s to 13s od. Our principal Bales were, viz.—2o crossbred ewes 14s lOd, 20 at 13s od, 50 merino wethers 9a lOd, 63 crossbred ewes lis to 13s Bd, 200 mixed halfbreds 13s 6d to 13s. lOd, 33 halfbred wethers 16s lOd to 17s 9d, 40 crossbred ewes 14s to 15s 2d, 50 merino wethers 8s 9d, 58 crossbred ewes lis lid to 13s 6d, 25 halfbred wethers 17s Id to 17s 9J, 100 crossbred wetheis (Chatham) 10s 9d, 11 crossbred wethers 17s lOd, 29 crossbred ewes 10s to lis 4dFat Cattle—Above the average supply, and the whole of good quality. Competition was quiet, and prices about equal to last .week's. Prime bullocks £8 to £9, medium £6 to £7, cows and heifers £5 to £615 a. Store and Dairy Cattle—A rather small and mixed entry oi young., stare-cattle, and a full entry of dairy stock. Store cows brought £2 10s to £5 lCs, yearlings £2, j steers £2 10s to £5 7s 6d, dairy cows £5 to £11.

Pigs—Large entry, good proportion prime baconers, small proportion stores and porkers. There was a good enquiry for baconers, but slack competition compared with lato markets, and a decline of nearly _d per lb on last week's rates. District Sales—At Waikari on April 27th we held a horse sale, yarding about fifty, the bulk of which, and a number of implements, we disposed of at very satisfactory prices;' despite the soaking wintry day. Draughts brought up to £18, light horses to £12. On Friday, April 28th, we held our monthly sheep sale, yarding 6124. Not*

withstanding the inclemency ofc_the weather the attendance was good, but floods threatening made business slack, except for merino ewes, which sold well. We sold lines of the latter ab 6s to 6* lOd, crossbred lambs 6s to 10s, two-tooth crossbred* to lis 6d, and crossbred ewes to 12s. At Rangiora very bad weather was experienced. The attendance of buyers was fair and competition good. We cleared an entry of 1700 sheep at top market rates, viz., fat merino wethers 7s to 8s 6d, store lambs 9a to 10s 9d, store crossbred ewes 7s 6d to 10s, store merino ewes Ss 6d, pi«_B aud cattle at market rates.

On the market for the week ending Thursday, the 4th instant, Messrs Todhcnter and Jennings report as follows:— At the Addingbon Yards on Wednesday lasb the yarding of stock was considerably larger than wo had anticipated, taking the unpleasant nature of the weathor during the past week into consideration. There was a good attendance of buyers; although competition for one or two classes of stock proved somewhat dull, a fair clearance was effected. The yarding for the day comprised 11,871 sheep, 354 head of cattle, and 364 pigs. A largo eutry of store sheep was comprised mainly of second quality lots from the North Island and the Chatham Islands. Previous experience of these sheep rendered buyers very reluctant to operate, and being in poor condition they proved very difficult to quit, A lino of good luruip sheep iv forward condition sold ut up to 14s 6d, twotooth half bred wethers to 12s 9d, half bred lambs to 9s 6d, full-mouthed crossbred ewes to lis 9d. Our saloa have already been reported iv your columns. Fat Sheep—A large number was yarded, and in the absence of buyers for export, competition was confined to the trade alone. The eutry beiug in excess of their requirements, prices suffered in consequence, and a very drugging sale resulted. Best freezers realised up to 17s 10d, crossbred ewes to 13s 2d, merino wethers (very prime) up to 13s 7d, medium sorts to lis.

Fat Lambs—Owing to the Bamo causes that affected the fat sheep market, business iv this line vas of the most sluggish descrip. tion, owners wishing to quit their stock having to accept a considerable reduction in {irice. The larger portion of tho eutry was leld over.

Fat Cattle—A medium entry of beef met with a dull and irregular enquiry. A small proportion only of the entry was quitted at a reduction on the values of lasb week. Besb sorts of steers, heavy weights, sold at up to £9 10a, good sorts £6 10s to £8. Store Cattle and Dairy Cows—The entry of store cattle comprised tho usual assortment of odd lots, mostly dry cows, for which there was an average euquiry, and a fair clearance was effected. A largo number of dairy cows came forward, and though good young cows olo3e to calving were wsll competed for othor sorts were very irregnlar. We sold a large number at prices ranging from £4 15s to £10 10*. Pjg S __The entry was the largest we have seen this year, with a fair proportion of really good bacon pigs. Competition for all sorts was somewhat dull early in ths market, but improving as the sale advanced lost week's values were ruling for lots offered late in tho day. We sold bacon era up to 535, porkers to 355, good quality choppers up to 60s, forward store* to 255, half-grown do 15s. Skins, Hides, Fat and Tallow—At the New Zealand Wool Stores on Thursday last we offered our usual catalogue of the above. The eutry was below the average, both in quantity and quality, owing to tho very unfavourable weather of the past week, and buyers in consequenco rcfusod to operate excepting at reduced values. A few beet crossbred skins brought up to 4s 6d, damaged sorts 2s 6d to 3s 3d, merinos from In 3d te ls 9d, according to conditiou. Best rough fab l_d to lid, medium l£d, rendered fat to 2Jd for beat quality. Local and Clearing Sales—On Monday last at Mr J. Phillips' homestead ab Hills* borough, and on Tuesday at Mr Thos. Hancock's at Temple* on, we held most successful clearing sales of live and dead stock, the attendance being good and tho bidding animated ab both places, in spite of the inclement weather. On Tuesday last .at Rangiora the heavy rain of tho night previous effectually sbopped any number of stock coming, to hand. The entry mainly consisbedof pigs and cattle, of whicha fair buyei's was limited, and prices were hardly satisfactory to buyers. On Thursday next at Mr M. J. Burkes homestead, Knocklynn, Halawell, we shall have the pleasure of offering for sale the whole of his live and dead stock. As Mr Burke has always devoted much time and attention to the careful selection and breeding of all classes of his stock we can thoroughly recommend the whole catalogue to our friends, and aa he has sold his estate we can assure them that a genuine clearing sale is intended.