ADDINGTON YARDS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11152, 19 December 1901, Page 6

ADDINGTON YARDS.

(BY OTja COMMERCIAL EDITOR.) The market was a double one in consequence of the Christmas holidays next week, but there was only an average entry of stock. The attendance was good. The entry of store sheep totalled 1520, being mostly ewes and lambs with a few lines of two-tooths. The latter sold well, as did also the better classes of ewes and lambs. The chief sales were 60 two-tooths at lis 7d, 83 at 10s lOd, 152 at 9s 9d, and 195 two and four-tooths 10s Bd, 220 ewes and lambs 9s sd, and 200 at 3s lid. There were 1923 fat lambs penned, and there was a further improvement in the quality. There was a good demand right through the sale on the part of both .butchers and export buyers. There was practically no advance in the values given for freezing lambs, though the average price per head was rather higher than last week m consequeooe of the lambs being better. The butchers had, however, to give prices beyond the export buyers' limits in order to secure their supplies for the Christmas trade. For freezing 991 lambs were taken at 12s Id to 14s lOd, the bulk of them making 13s 6d to 14-., and 932 were 'bought by butchers at 10s 6d .to 15s sd. There was an* average yarding of fat sheep, including a few small lots of extra prime (quality suitable for butchers' show purposes next week. The market was veTy irregular, any good lots selling well until the trade had secured most of their requirements. Ewes did not sell as well as last week until towards the end of the sale, when there waa a little recovery. A; few . lines of wethers were taken for freezing at 14s to 15s, light butchers' wethers 13s to 14s 6d, heavier sorts 15s to 16s 9d, and exhibition lots 17s 6d to 303, best ewes 13s to 15s 6d, medium 10s to 12s 6d, and aged and inferior 4s lOd to 8s 6d, medium merino wethers 8s 2d to 10s, merino ewes 8s 3d. Among the special lot? of sheep sold were—For tbe Acton Estate, crossbred wethers 23s t0.305, and merino wethers 17s 6d, and for Jlr Jas. Johns five Shropshire Down wethers 235. In the fat cattle pens 167 head were offered, including some very prime steers and heifers. The market opened at last week's rates, but owing to the moderate supply, and the fact of there being nO sale next ■week, values improved about Is. per 1001b. A line of 30 head from Waikirikiri made £9 5s to £10, and 7 out of 16 from the North Island £9 2s 6d to £9 10s, other st&ers £7 2s 6d to £10 17s 6d, heifers £5 15s to £8 15s, and cowsi £5 15s to £8 17s 6d, equal to 17s 6d to 25s per 1001b. onlyH'a ismall mixed ? yarding of store cattle, and not much business was done at auction, though some private sales were made. Sellers were asking increased prices in consequence of the improved feed prospects, but there were few buyers present. Yearlings made 21s 6d, 15 to 18----months £2 5s to £3 3s 6d, the latter price beine given for a line of steers, 3-year heifers £4 'ss, and dry cows £2 16s to £5 6s. Dairy cows met with a fair sale at £4 10s to £8 15s.

There was an average yarding of pigs, and alLclasses met Trith a'rather dull sale, with prices in favour of buyers, stores being especially difficult to dispose of. Baconers made cA$ to 495, equal to 3£d per lb: porkers 23s to 30s 6d, equal to 3£d to 3|d per lb, stores 15s to 20s, and suckers and weaners 5s to 9s.