COALGATE EWE FAIR

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22358, 23 March 1938, Page 15

COALGATE EWE FAIR

GOOD TWO-TOOTHS SELL WELL

MERINOS IN POOR DEMAND Heavy clouds hanging about the hills, where there had been a heavy rain in the morning, threatened to make matters unpleasant at yesterday’s Coalgate ewe fair, the last of this autumn’s Canterbury series, but the day remained fine. The fair is very much a local one, and most of the sheep from adjoining high country, except the merinos, are bought for local use. The quality, except for some pens of paddock ewes and an occasonal draft of guaranteed older sheep, is very indifferent as a rule, and yesterday’s penning proved no exception to the rule. Many of the sheep were old, and with a substantial representation of cast merino ewes, which are not in favour at the moment, the sale covered a wide range of values—from Is 3d for aged merinos to 36s for good two-tooths. The entry was approximately 11,000, as against 10,000 last year.

The sale was quite a sound one for good, well-grown lines of two-tooths, and also for ewes with reasonable teeth. Best price was 365. secured by T. F. Hight (Hororata), as against the top price of 42s at last Coalgate fair. There were a number of sales of small pens of two-tooths at from, 29s to 34s 6d, fully maintaining recent rates. Some under-sized lines sold draggingly at from 21s upwards, this class being in little demand. T. D. Jarman (Hororata), who topped last year’s market at 425, sold 100 at 34s 6d. and a second pen of the same number at 325, whilst his contribution of 149 fouryear sheep topped the market for that age at 24s 9d, top figure at last fair being 28s. Well-conditioned, soundmouthed sheep, therefore, of which there were few, sold at practically recent standards. A pen of four and fiveyear from Webb - Eros. (Grasslands) sold at 23s for the first 100 and 22s for the remainder, whilst 197 five-year from the same vendor made 16s 6d. Anything without teeth to recommend them were sold at low prices—from 8s to 12s, and were a drug on the market.

Cast high country merinos generally form the biggest proportion of this breed offered at any of the fairs, and yesterday .there were approximately 2000 of them forward. Breeders of first cross English Leicester lambs almost invariably provide a good market for these ewes, but there was very little competition, and one line of more than 1000. was passed in at 4s. The older merinos were very hard to sell, the figure mentioned being about the limit of prices. For good sheep of definite ages the market compared satisfactorily with recent fairs. For old sheep it was slow and “sticky,” with a number of passings. There, were occasional passings of the better two-tooths, one being at 335, with others at round about 30s. Passings of older sheep were fairly heavy.

The S^les The following are representative sales of the principal lots, and excluding for the most part small pens:— Pyne, Gould, Guinness, sold on account of: '- -T. H»Hlght (Hordrata). 52 two-tooth at 365. T. H. Stone (Gfinroy), 43 lambs at 16s, 37 at 13s 6d, 72 f.m. at 15s. Murchison Brps. (Lake Coleridge), 419 four and six-tooth hallbred at 20s 6d, 143 stud merino at 20s, 180 six-tooth at 21s. G. B. Starky (Steventon), 130 two-tooth at 32s 3d, 202 four-year Romney cross at 21s.

J, Glllanders (Greendale), 68 two-tooth at 325.

H. H. Thorne (Hororata), 78 two-tooth at 20a 3d.

F. Early (Te Plrlta), 164 two-tooth at 29s 9d Wilfrid Hall (Gunyah), 141 f.m, at 7a Id to 8a 3d, 167 two-tooth at 245, T. E. Pearson (Oranga), 202 two-tooth at 30s Od. J. Davies (Beech View), 110 s.m. at 16s. , •

New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative Association sold on account of:

Mrs C. H. Adams (Glenroy), 35 two, four, six, and eight-tooth at 2os. T. D. Jarman (Hororata), 08 four-tooth and four-year at 18» 6d, 149 four-year at 24s 9d, 100 two-tooth at 34s 6d, 100 at 325.

National Mortgage and Agency Company, sold on account of;

K. W. J. Hall (Hororata), 86 twd-tooth at 31s, 25 at 225. Webb Bros. (Grasslands), 100 lour and five-year at 235, 240 at 225, 197 five-year at 16s 6d,

Dalgoty and Company sold on account of: S. G. Broughton (Dartleld), 40 f.m. at 12s 3d, 80 f.m. at 6s, 2QB f.m.' at 7s od, 174 two-tooth at 26s 6d. Mrs E. Murray (Glentunnel), 268 f and f.m. at Bs.

Scgtt Bros. (Wlndwhlstle), 102 aged stud merino at 4s 3d. Jas. Deans (Homebush), 26 five-year at 12s 9d, 70 five-year at 14s, 123 two-tooth at 21s 6d.

I, C. Deans (Homebush), 23 five-year at 11s 6d. Early Bros. (Waterford), 71 four, six, and eight-tooth at 16s 6d.

At the stud ram fair at Christchurch on Friday, A. Bennett, of Riverside (Ashburton) bought a one-shear English Leicester ram from Jas. Reid (Darfleld) at 40gns. The sale was inaccurately described as to J. Barnett. A Border. Leicester ram passed in at Friday’s stud ram fair by Mr Donald Grant (Timaru) at 38gns, the highest price at auction, was sold privately to Mr J. L. Macfarlane (Lyndon) at 40gns.

A big line of four-year ewes was sold at the Sheffield fair last week, the annual draft of 1408 from Mount White realising 16s 3d. At the Culverden ewe fair Johns Bros, sold 184 Corriedale two-tooths at 435, this being the biggest draft this season to make this price.

NEW TOPDRESSER INVENTED

Mr J. S. Wearn. of Christchurch, inventor of iseveral weJl-known devices, has just invented a new type of topdresser that should revolutionise the fertilising of New Zealand farm lands. This new type of topdresser, which has been patented and put through exhaustive tests, is totally different in principle from any other machine on the market at the moment, and will retail at almost half the cost of present-day machines. An interesting feature is that no two moving parts come in contact. The topdresser is a ■ double-feed machine and can be easily converted to .take two different kinds of fertiliser by simply Inserting a dividing board. The agitator and feeder, which is made of rustless metal, comprises the bottom of the box and is suspended loosely from either end. One lever does all the regulating necessary. The method of feeding is simple, yet very effective—a new vibratory motion being employed. Oft account of its simplicity, ease of operation, and low first cost, this new design of topdresser should find a big market in this Dominion, because more and more farmers are daily realising the importance of fertilising their farm lands. It is understood that a company is now being formed to exploit thi§ new invention. —°