METHVEN EWE FAIR

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25134, 15 March 1947, Page 10

METHVEN EWE FAIR

PRICES REMAIN FIRM

WIDELY VARYING QUALITY

The Methven ewe fair, which was held yesterday, was in some respects the best oj the series so far. Prices were well up to the earlier fairs for all classes. For the older ewes with doubtful mouths prices were above any of the earlier fairs for fine-woolled ewes, and fully up to Little River for crossbreds.

The entry was 10,500, against’ 13,000 last year, and again included the widest variety of breeding. The fair draws its entry, from the high country up the Rakaia, the front hills- along the' Rakaia gorge, and includes a large showing from the plains farms of the district. Methven offers every shade of breeding from Merinos to English Leicesters. Yesterday’s offering was typical of a Methven fair in respect of variety of breeding, but was uniformly better than average in the condition ot the sheep. Few lines were in low condition, and the majority were forward to fat.

The gallery was not particularly large, but everyone seemed to be there to buy, and for Methven, an unusual number of the larger lines were bought in one lot. Bidding on some of the two-tooths offered early was slack, and values looked easier, but old ewes were firm from the start, and continued to meet a strong demand right through. Having regard to the quality of tne ewes offered, prices for all classes were fully firm on recent rates. Old ewes, Low in the mouth, were dearer. Compared with last year’s fair, two-tooths were 4s dearer, four-year were 6s dearer,. the few straight lines of five-year were 8s dearer. Full and sound-mouth ewes, which made up the bulk of the offering of older sheep, were up to 8s dearer according to quality. It was a most satisfactory sale.

As usual, a large number of lines ot lambs was included. They were not as well grown or in as good condition as the Meth ven lambs (a well-established feature of the fair) usually are, but they sold at prices fully up to recent Addington rates, and in cases better. Top price for the fair was 435. This price was received for a line of 139 particularly attractive Romney cross twotooths from the estate of S. M. J. Milne (Mount Hutt), and a pen of 76 finewoolled two-tooths from R. Molloy (Cairnbrae). Another pen of Cairnbrae twotooths made 41s, and that price was paid for a line of 144 Romney cross from L. L. Richards (Mount Hutt). The estate of S. M. J. Milne sold 199 at 40s 6d. and J. R. Lattimore (Winchmore) sold 120 at 39s 6d. Top price last year was 35s 9d. The best four-year price was 365, paid for 291 from L. L. Richards, who also sold a line of 509 at 31s. Gerard and Murray Aynsley (Bayfields) sold 98 at 31s and 143 at 30s 6d. L. L. Richards topped this section of the fair last year at 27s 6d. A line of Bayfields ewes topped the fiveyear section at 26s 6d. and there were six sales at 24s to 25s 6d.

A notable sale was that of 214 threequarterbreds, described as sound-mouth, at 32s 6d. on behalf of L. R. Mangin (Winchmore). Prices ranged as follows: s. s. Two-tooths— Extra good .. •. 39J to 43 Good .. .. .. 35 to 384 Medium '.. .. .. 27 to 33J Inferior .. • • .. 17 to 24 Four-year— . Extra good .. .. • • 30J to 36 Good .. •• .. 24 to 284 Others .. .. • • 19J to 2I)J Five-year— . Good .. • • .. 24 to 26 a Others .. • • .. 17 to 22 THE SALES New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd., sold on account of:—

A. W. Taylor (Springfield): 148 four, %ix, and eight-tooth at 245, 101 four, six, and eight-tooth at 25s 6d, 97 five-year at 17s. 22 two-tooth at 275. 78 two-tooth at 28s. Mrs H. Poff (Mount Hutt): 65 two-tuoth at 38s 6d. 66 two-tooth at 36s 3d, 45 twotooth at 355.

R. Molloy (Cairnbrae): 76 two-tooth at 435. F. G. Collison (Windwhistle): 60 fouryear at 20s 9d. Dalgety and Company, Ltd., sold on account of:—

R. H. Ensor (Glenariffe): 123 four and five-year at 18s, 213 four-year at 245, 36 Corriedales at Ils, 65 five-year at 19s. Estate H. Ensor (Double Hill): 118 fouryear at 19s 6d, 273 four-year at 255. 186 four and five-year at 19s. J. R. Todhunter (Glenfalloch): 109 s.m. at 19s, 143 s.m. at 18s, 64 ewe hoggets at 30s, 30 two-tooth at 17s, 75 f.m. at 13s, 10 two-tooth at 275, 70. stud Merino at 34gns. Mrs F. Urquhart (Windwhistle): 111 s.m. at 15s 9d.

L. F. Walker (Manuka Point): 184 fouryear at 19s 6d. D. L. Ensor (Glenrock): 195 four and five-year at 21s 6d. 314 four-year at 28s. 74 five-year at 245. W. G. Gerard (Blackhills): 286 fouryear at 275. Gerard and Murray Aynsley (Bayfields): 340 five-year at 26s 6d, 143 fouryear at 30s 6d, 207 five-year at 25s 6d. 98 four-year at 31s. L. L. Richards (Mount Hutt): 354 fiveyear 25s 6d (sold in conjunction with National Mortgage and Agency Company of N.Z., Ltd), 88 two-tooth at 35s (sold in conjunction with National Mortgage and Agency Company,of N.Z., Ltd.). A. AcLeod (Mount Hutt): 85 ewe hoggets at 235, 123 ewe hoggets at 265. F R Sides (Lauriston): 83 two-tooth at 37s 6d „ Le Cren and Miss Wills (Snowdon): T 32 ewe hoggets at 22s 6d, 104 eye hoggets at 26s 6d. Colin Deans (Mount Hutt): 100 ewe hoggets at 295. R Molloy (Cairnbrae): 76 two-tooth at 41s. J. R. Lattimore (Winchmore): 103 twotooth at 38s, 120 two-tooth at 39s 6d. H. J. Stevens (Highbank): 70 s.m. it 21s 6d.

J. Scott (Windwhistle): 71 four-year at 25s 6d. R F. Fryer (Highbank): 68 s.m. at 24s 6d. L. J. Early and Sons (Alford Forest): 104 s.m at 20s. Pyne, Gould, Guinness, Ltd., sold on account of:— B. Cotterell (Mount Hutt): 95 five-year at 24s 6d. 245 ewe hogget at 28s 3d. M. B. Poff (Mount Hutt): 121 five-year at 25s R. F. Frver (Mount Hutt): 128 s.m. at 235. L. R. Mangin (Winchmore): 214 s.m. at 32s 6d. R. A. R. White (Mount Somers): 171 s.m. at 18s. E. S. Johnstone (Westward Ho): 308 ' five-year at 225. 367 ewe hogget at 30s 6d. 159 ewe hogget at 235. H. R. Huddleston (Mount Hutt): 169 four and five-year at 275, 125 ewe hogget at 22s 6d. 20 two-tooth at 28s 6d. Logan Bros. (Windwhistle): 24 two-tooth at 245. 113 four and five-year at 17s 6d. 114 s.m. at 225. R. G. McDonald (Methven): 29 fourtooth at 37s 6d. F. Syme (Springbum): 41 f.m. at 18s 6d, 80 sjn. at 12s. T. I. and T. W. Perry (Waimarama): 116 s.m. at 23s 3d. J. R Grigg and Son (Alford Forest): 119 four and five-year at 24s 9d. j Mrs V. McLean (Alford Forest): 240 five-year at 255, 65 five-year at 245.