PALMERSTON NORTH RAM FAIR.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9024, 9 February 1895, Page 3

PALMERSTON NORTH RAM FAIR.

" Weekly Tress and Rerevee." The animal ram fair under the ausp'ecs of t.!io Manan-atu Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held on the Society's grounds, Palmereton North on Thursday and Friday last week. The opening day was not favoured with the best of weather, a very stiff wind and clouds of dust making both attendance and enjoyment the reverse of satisfactory. In fees, so strong was the nor'-wester blowing that in one of the main streets ot Palmerston several ancient-looking fences were levelled, while UDon the grouuda themselves hats of all sizes and shapes were occasionally to bo observed flying into the pens. The grounds

of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association arc admirably suited for an annual event ot the kind under notice, but although the entries this year were larger and correspondingly better In quality than those of previous occasions, a very poor result was obtained co fur as the prices offered were concerned, In fact it might be said there was a continual absence of bidding at all. No doubt the fair, coming so soon after Wellington, could not hive been expected to bo brilliant, but no one ever imagined i> was likely to turn out almost a mere exhibition of "putting up aud pasting." Naturally the local expectations were that the bsst breeders' lots would, in their own district, where they are kno«rn so well, go off without the slightest trouble. But the general depression, scarcity of money and. low value* of sheep and produce, had not apparently been taken sufficiently into account; and few of the leading oM established breeders managed ro clear their lines. Of course where prominent breeders of this class were unsuccessful it is easy to imagine the consequent total absence of demand for medium and inferior sheep, of which, as usual, a large per centage formed the supply. Ah at Christchurch and elsewhere, last year there were animals offered on both days which should never have been kept as rams at all, so that presumably uiuny of them will come to the knife eventually.

As you have often painted out it is useless to continue breeding inferior rams when really good sheep are to be obtained at reasouable prices, from men who have devoted time, skill, and large sums of money to producing only first-class stock. But the evil no doubt will cure itself in time.

I Altogether there were 1273 entries, 633 lof which were two-tuoth' Rononey Kama, I 394 two-tooth Lincolns, 55 two-tooth Lincoln Leicester:*, 22 Border Lelceetore, 20 two-tooth Corried'ales, 9 stud Lincolns, 8 two-tooth Cjtswolds, 5 Southdowna, 85 four-tooth Lincolns, and 42 four and sixtooth Romnt-ys. Of the Lincolns there were tome good sheep shown by W. Wileon,"'Wbenuakura-; Mrs Watt, Lily Bank.; ..W. Chapman, KoklbU ; F. Raynerv, I^ii«ftblff; J^-TSn^r7'^^ek^! ltr^^ M'Kenzie, Carnarvon; W. Bath bone, Waipawa; and A. S: Baker, AwapunL Oα the first day there was not a/great deal of inclination to purchase Lincolns, and prices realised were exceedingly small. The reserves,' noticeable on both days, were much higher than intending buyers cared about, but notwithstanding this several two-tooth Lincolns actually parted ar a quarter guinea each. The highest figure for the first day's sale was a solitary Tigs for a *tud rani offered on account ot of Mr W. Kathbone, Waipawa. Seventeen of Mr H. Bremnei's four-tooth Lincolns sold for sg* each, two fonr-tooths of Mr W. Wilson's for 3j;3 each, while a few others from various breeders realised only prices ranging from $ to l|gseach.

The entry of Itomuey Marsh rams being very large and the exhibits mostly of excellent quality, ifc was expected that the final day's Fair would be very different to the previous one, but a raw cold day and strong wind blowing, reduced the audience to some SO to 100 would-be buyers, and made things doleful and uninteresu ing. In fact there was practically only one customer, a Mr Fine f roai Wangarchu, Wanganui, who bought largely but cheaply, his offer being but rarely spoiled by meeting with an opposing bid. The auctioneers, Mesnre Abraham and "Williams, and Mr Henry, had anything but an enjoyable task, but they carried it out Courageously. Towards lunch time the bidding fell away altogether, and by three o'clock lot after lot was passed without a bid. 1

The prices realised for Romneys ranged from 3|gs down to as low as gcp each. The exhioits of Messrs J. O. Batcbelor, D. Buick, T. Tanner, S. \v\ Luxtord, Henry, and G. Wheeler veero those disposed of at these prices. One of Mr Wheeler's twotooths fetched 4g4, tho highest bid during the sale of this class.

Mr Little, of Canterbury, offered twenty Corrirdales of splendid quality, but owing to the stagnation in prices only two were sold at the reserve price of one guinea each. , t

Several lots were afterwards disposed of privately at fair prices, six 4-tooth Border Leicester!* b?ing quitted at three guineas each. . Mr Cobb also disposed of his Romncya privately at the satisfactory price of three guineas each. Other private sales of Konineys fetched from one guinea to two guineas and a quarter respectively.

The flceneral arrangements for the Fair were excellent and reflected great credit upon the secretary, Mr C. C. Miles. A luncheon was provided upon both days by Mr Wilson, of the Occidental Hotel.