ALDINGTON MARKET.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20412, 5 December 1931, Page 20

ALDINGTON MARKET.

WEDNESDAY'S SALE. The farmer's life at present is not such a happy one that ho can afford to allow even a general election to interfere with his work, so Wednesday 's weekly market drew normal entries and, if anything, a bigger crowd of farmers. It might be right to assume that the opening of the export lamb market had more to do with the attendance than the election, though some people might not believe it. Fat Lambs. The sale was somewhat disappointing. There was a good showing of lambs for a first December sale, but big drafts had already gone direct to the works from the farms. These were bought on a schedule of ssd for 36's and under, and the absence of one important firm from the competition on account of having full supplies for the week and an influence in the same direction from other exporters caused this price to recede. About a shilling to Is 6d a head, or a farthing to a, halfpenny per Tb, * covered the slip, and most of the first grade lambs Tanged from 5Jd to s}d a lb. Some of the lines forwarded were showing the signs of the dry weather, but otherwise it was a mormal quality first of season yarding. Prices compared as follows with the corresponding sale last year, before the export, season opened and wh'en lamb was 8d a lb : -

Tat Sheep. Some really good lines of fai sheep were penned, but with lambs now going to the works it is natural.that the bulk shojild be ewes. The, good mediumweights ■of these sold at round about 10s 6d to 12s) or ,2}d a lb, and the wethers about a penny , more. With the market for more attractive meat as it is, this price for,, ewes must be deemed fairly satisfactory. A glance through the sales list shows that many ewes brought. considerably more than the half guinea than under it. Sonie lines of \ South Canterbuiy , and Kaikour* ewes were included in" thfe entry. A -comparison with ■ the year is aa follows:—-

, ..'Store; Sheep., t i •• The farmers; in attendance at the store sheep sale were not disposed to make purchases that did not come well within their "ideas. ; The feed position is too acute to encourage the adding of dry. sheep to farms where the main trouble is to keep the ewes and lambs supplied. ' Consequently attractive lines of wethers,sold in buyers' favour. There w,ere some good. drafts- round about 8s to 9s, a.nd the present export rate and lo6al demand ; should make them safe buying?.for fatteners who, have the feed. The Chatham Island Romney cross wethers, which turn into big prime*-mutton for. the butchers, sold at up to 10s 4d. As most of the ewes and lambs forwarded were np

from the dry districts south of the Bangitata, they were backward in condition; and mjost of the lambs appeared as if they would have to be carried over for rape. Comparisons: — 1 "Wethers— " Good 4 to 6-th Bomney .. to 15i to 10i Ord. 4 to 6-th Bomney ... IS to 131 8 to. 9 Ord. * to 6-th half-bred .11 to 121 Inferior 1-bd .. 7 to 0 to 64 age 1-bd to 101 • Ord. 4 to 8-th • Bomney •• - Med. 1-bd and . a lambs Ord. 1-bd and ■ lamb* 61 to 7| o to ® j. Good 2-th i*bd Pat Oattto. The demand for beefy apart altogether from the seasonal slackening, appears fo be lessening, as an entry of ( jpO is now quit* sufficient to meet

demands. Even in the colder weather this tendency was apparent. Possibly the restrictions of the housewife's purse have a good deal ■to do with it. Also, there is less travelling nowadays, and the hotels consequently use less beef. Perhaps a third reason is that too many weather-beaten cows have been' coming into the market, but we offend lightly in this direction compared with, say, Auckland. A major Teason, however, is the cheap price of lamb and mutton, and the smaller weight of money required by the small suburban butcher to stock up with mutton. When lamb was Is 3d a lb in the shops its purchase was postponed by the general public to Christmas, and the beef demand continued longer. It is a long time in Addington yards since good beef could be bought for 22s or 23s per 1001b.

Dec. 3 Dec. 2 1080. 1931. >. s. " 1. «• Ex. prime .. — to 27i — to 19& Prime .. 23 to 254 16 to 18j •Medium . . 20 to22J 13| to 151 Light . 17 to 19 12J to 13J

Wether*— to 23 ■(, IS to 30 Es.prira# . .• ' — Prime . .. 24 to 26 15J to 171 Medium ' .. 19 to 23J: 13J to 15J LieUt .. 14 to 18 10J to 13 Bvree— 14 .tft 15 Ex. prime . — '• to 23 Prime .. 19 to 22 lli to 18J Ordinary . 15 to 18| 10 to 111 Light • . Hi to 14 8i> to 9|

£ £ £ £ Steers — to 22J to Ex. heavy — 121 Heavy prime171 to 19 9 to 111 Medium weight •. prime 15 to 18 7 to 9 Ord. quality .. 11 to 14 5 to 63 Light • 8 to 10 — to 4J Heifers— to 161 10 Ex. prime — — to Prime • • 12 to 141 61 to 9 Medium •. 9 to 111 4i, to 61 Light 6 to 8J — to :ia Oonrs- — to 143 t'o 9 Ex. prime 51 Prime 11J to 13} to 81 Medium 9 to 11 4 to 51 Light and aged 51 to 81 21 to 3S