STARBOROUGH ESTATE SALE.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10273, 16 February 1899, Page 5

STARBOROUGH ESTATE SALE.

[By Telsgraph.] (from otte. special corbespoxdent.) ' BLENHEIM, February 15. The arrangements made for the accommodation of visitors at Starborough were excellent. Provision was made for four hundred, and about one hundred stayed at the station last night Four hundred pairs of blankets were sent up from A. J. White's, Christchurch, and chaff beds and pillows and stretchers were provided on the station. The shearing board in the wool shed was converted into a comfortable bedroom by the papering of the walls, and water was laid on for washing purposes. Others were accommodated in the stores and tents, the members of the Press being provided with a tent for their own use. The catering, in the hands'of Mr J. Rothwell, of Blenheim, gave every satisfaction. All the arrangements for the sale reflected credit upon Mr F. M. Foster, the manager of the estate, and Mr Staveley, the manager of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, which firm, with Messrs Pyne and Co., were the joint agents for the disposal of the stock, Ac. The weather was beautiful. As the sale did not start till 12.30, Mr Foster kindly lent mc a horse, and with three others I rode over part of the eastern end of the estate. A superficial survey of the estate shows at once that it is ideal sheep country, and one can readily understand that a flock upon it, under careful management, such. as Mr Foster's, must naturally achieve a high reputation. Yvit-u the exception of a large flat along the front of the Awatere river, the bulk of the property consists of undulating downs, very similar in general appearance to the Waikari downs of the Glenmark estate, except, of course, that they are not of limestone formation. They are also similar to Glenmark in that they are covered with notning higher than tussock, except ah odd matagouri bush, few and far between. The soil is arable, and sweet throughout, and though not deep on the downs, it lies on a porous subsoil of sandy clay. The downs not broken up are covered with a thick sward of native grass, and where cultivated both downs and flats are sown with cocksfoot, which does well, and the sowing has been judicious. The feed is kept very fine, and free from coarse tufts. Though wheat has been grown on the flat yielding up to 35 bushels to the acre, and barley—for which the land is better adapted —from 30 to 40 bushels, the country is evidently still better suited for grass and rape and turnip growing. Cocksfoot appears to thrive most successfully where sown. The absence of water is the great difficulty, and on many of the sections on the downs it will have to be conserved. There are' few places where permanent water can be obtained, but the farms fronting the river Awatere will be well supplied from that source, though where the cliffs are steep, it will entail the making of a cutting to give the stock access to the water. The range of hills on the western end of the estate, cut up into small grazing runs, range in altitude from 2400 to 2600 feet, and are permanently watered, and appear tq, be covered only with tussock and other native grasses, being free from scrub and fern.

There was a large attendance "at the sale, including Canterbury sheep farmers and dealers, Amuri sheep farmers, numerous settlers from all parts of Marlborough, and several visitors from Wellington. Mr Staveley, in opening the sale, said it would rank as one of the most important in the annals of the pastoral history of the colony, and was next in importance to the famous Cheviot sale. It was a pity that matters had not been so arranged tUat the ballot was not held prior to the sale instead of subsequently, so that those settlers who took up country could purchase stock; but the arrangements had been made with a view of*selling stock, &c:, to the best advantage. That these settlements were in the interest of the country must be admitted by all who had unprejudiced minds, but they were not altogether in the interests of sheep .-reeding, as the large man, as a rule, paid more care and took more interest in his flock than the small settler: The Starborough flock was justly celebrated throughout the South Island, and great credit was due to the management of the estate for the excellence of the flock and the satisfactory shearing results. He proposed a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Foster for the complete manner in which the arrangements for the sale and accommodation ot visitors had been carried out.

Mr A. Boyle, who represented Pyne and Co., also addressed those present, and pointed out that free grazing would be given for sheep purchased till March 22nd. The sheep were, without doubt, exceptionally good, and were shown in perfect condition. The merinos are noted for their excellence, both as regards frame and quality of fleece, and the haiibreds and crossbreds (Lincoln and merino cross)are mostly beautifully fine sheep as regards style and frames, well woolled, and nice and fight in bone, being thus of the right stamp for the frozen meat trade, ewes being especially well suited for breeding from, either for this purpose or for wool.

The bidding for the flock sheep was very spirited throughout, and the sale was an exceedingly satisfactory one. Buyers had' to considerably increase the limit of values fixed prior to the sale. The first line of 650 four-tooth halfbred wethers was knocked down to Mi* R. Latter, Barry's Bay, Akaroa, at 12s 7d, and the results of other, lots were:—Flock sheep, halfbreds: 3000 two-tooth wethers, 10s 8d; 3000 two-tooth ewes, lis 4d to 12s; 1700 four-tooth ewes, 12s Id to 12s 3d ; 1600 sixtooth ewes, lis 3d; 1700 four-year-old ewes, 10s 2d; 4200 lambs, 8s 3d. Threequarterbreds—looo two-tooth wethers, lis 9d; 3100 two-tooth ewes, 10s lOd ; 1300 four-tooth ewes, 10s 9d; 400 six-tooth ewes, 10s 6d; 7000 lambs, 5s 6d to 6s Bd. Merinos—9oo two-tooth wetihers, 8s 2d; 900 two-tooth ewes, 10s; 1450 four-tooth maiden ewes, lis 8d; 1400 Jjix-tooth ewes, lis Id; 4900 four and five-year-old ewes, 7s 3d to 8s 2d; 30 rams, 12s. Stud Lincolns—Four, six, and eight-tooth ewes, 13s 6d to 245; two-tooth ewes, 36s 6d;' twotooth rams, 48s: four-tooth rams, 44s to 53s ; six-tooth rams, 17s to 265; aged rams, 12s to 16s 6d; ram lambs, 2ls to 26s 3d; ewe lambs, 21s to 26s 3d.

The principal buyers of flock sheep were —Mr L. W. Toswill, Christchurch, 11,250; Mr G. B. Starky, Amberley, 5800; Mr W. B. Clarkson, junr., Christchurch, 4800 • Mr R. Latter, Akaroa, 4250; A R. Lyons' Wellington, 3600; C. Wood, Kaikoura 2000; W. Phillips, Weedons, 200; J W Murfitt, Christchurch, 100; Colin Stewart Christchurch, 1000; J. Haydon, Virginia! 900; L. C. Gardiner, Christchurch, 900,' The stud sheep were bought principally by local and Kaikoura sheep farmers. The sale will ba continued to-morrow.