THE WEEK

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26319, 13 January 1951, Page 5

THE WEEK

TWO-DAY SALES AT ADDINGTON

The decision to hold two-day sales at Addington in February and March is in the nature of a trial to overcome problems associated with the transport of stock to the market and its disposal in the yards at the busiest time of the year. There is no suggestion that twoday sales should be held all the year round. For a good part of the year the numbers of stock handled would certainly not justify it. The idea of two-day sales came originally from a group of stock auctioneers and they have found other parties, such as the Saleyards Company, Federated Farmers, the butchers, freezing companies, and the Railways Department favourable to it. It is felt that two-day sales will ease the strain on transport, and that with more transport available fewer iarmers will need to have their stock driven to the sales. This may mean that less stock will be seen on city streets.

In the past because of the strain on transport, stock have often arrived at the yards as early as Monday evening, and they have had to be taken out to feed and then brought back again on Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning. This traffic should now be unnecessary. With store sheep being sold on Wednesday and all other classes of stock on Tuesday there should now be sufficient pen accommodation for each class to be sold in ■ieauence. Sometimes in the past it has been necessary to use the one pen more than once in order to handle all the stock.

The Tuesday sales will clash with ewe fairs at Little River, Ashburton, Sheffield and Coalgate, but it is thought that neither the fairs nor the market will be greatly affected, because store sheep buyers, who would be interested in the fairs, will not have to be at Addington until the Wednesday. Addington will be the first market to have two-day sales in New Zealand, but two-day sales are held in both Sydney and Melbourne, where fewer stock than at Addington are offered in the peak season.