YESTERDAY'S STOCK MARKET.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9603, 18 December 1896, Page 4

YESTERDAY'S STOCK MARKET.

[BY OtTR. COMMERCIAL EDITOR.] As Christmas this year falls late in the week the double market will be dispensed with, and the usual sale will be held next week, though probably it would have better suited the convenience of all parties had the usual custom been followed. The market yesterday could not, therefore, be called a Christmas one, except so far as the supply of beef was concerned. The fat cattle pens were filled to overflowing with an entry of over 300 head, comprised chiefly of steers and heifers of the primesl quality. As soon as trade requirements had, however, been satisfied prices fell to an exceedingly low level and there could have been no margin over store co3t. The market was topped by prize-takers at the Christehnrch and Ashburton Shows, sent in by Mr S. Garforth, who disposed of steere at £10, a heifer at £8 17s 6d, and a cow at £8 53. The be3t of beef could be purchased at 16s to 18s 6d per 1001b, and second-rate quality from 12s 6d to 15s. Store sheep were but poorly represented in numbers and quality, and the few lines that were on offer met with little demand. Fat iamb 3 were again entered in large numbers, and generally the quality was quite up to that of last week. The tone of ;he market was throughout somewhat srregular. When the buyers for export were actively competing prices were on a par with last week's, but when one of them held off lower figures had to be accepted. The primest lambs made from 12s to 13s 6d, and lighter freezers from 10s to 11s 6d. Butchers' lines were easier, and the want of competition for anything that was not really good shows that if fair values are to be obtained in the future the lambs must be sent in in prime condition. Light conditioned and small lambs sold from 63 6d to 7s 6d, and better sorts from 83 to 9s 6d. Mr J. Hodgene, Prebbleton, topped the market at 13s 6d, while other good sales were-—Mrs Law, Weedons, 133 Id ; Mr A. J. Jackson, Yald hurst, 13e ; and a splendid line o£ eighty'freezers, from Mr W. J. Wadsworth, Aylesbury, 12a 9d. The fat sheep pens contained a plethora of crossbred e.wes, the prices for which towards the ond of the sale fell to an extremely low level. The only line of Christmas sheep sent in was Mr S. Garforth's four-tooth Southdown wethers, real plum 3, which sold at 17s to 19s. Similar sheep to these won a sweepstakes at the recent Wellington Show, beating all other fat sheep on the ground. There was not very active competition for freezing sheep, and the prices obtained could hardly be considered satisfactory, crossbred wethers making only 9s 6d to 12s, and maiden ewes 8s 6d to 8s 10d. After trade wants had "been supplied crossbred ewes could hardly be given away, best pens making from 7s 6d to 10s, medium 6s to 7s, and inferior 4s 6d to 5s 6d. The chief sales of fat sheep were as follows:—Mr C. Rudd, Greendale, crossbred wethers 10s 3d to 10s 9d; maiden ewes 8s lOd ; Mrs Bowman, Amberlcy, crossbred wethers 11s, ewee 9s Id; Mr J. Grigg, Longbeach, crossbred ewes 6s 6d to 8s lid ; Mr E. M. Morten, Amberley, crossbred hoggets 8s; Mr S. Garforth, Spi-eydon, Southdown wethers 17s to 19s ; Mr G. Watson, West Melton, crossbred wethers 10s to 10s 3d,"crossbred ewes 10s ; Mr J. Corbett, Hornby, crossbred wethers 10s; Mr J. Harper, Oust, crossbred wethers 11s 6d,; Lowcliffe Estate, half-bred wethers 11s 3d to 11s 6d; Chatmoss Estate, crossbred wethers 11s to lls 3d; Mr W. Hodgson, Cheviot, crossbred wethers 10s 3d; Mr J. Johns, Oust, crossbred wethers 10s 10d, maiden ewes 8s 6d ; Mr S. Warner, Doyleston, - crossbred wethers and maiden ewes 9s 4d; Mr J. C. Gebbie, Gebbie's Valley, crossbred wethers 9s 8d; Mr J. McCrory, Doric, crossbred wethers 9a 6d ; Mr J. Gemmell, Dunsandel, crossbred wethers 10s; Mr A. Tong, Brffokside, crossbred wethera lls; Mr E. Peate, Killinchy, crossbred wethers lls 2d to 12s ; Mr A. Hogsj, Leeston, crossbred wethers lls 6d. Pigs were somewhat irregular in price, fats Deing about up to last week's rates, while stores were not in active demand. Dairy cows and store cattle met with dull sales.