STOCK FROM CHATHAMS

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29206, 17 May 1960, Page 17

STOCK FROM CHATHAMS

‘Retrograde Step 9 To Change Sales

The marketing of store sheep and cattle from the Chatham Islands in Hawke’s Bay would be a “retrograde step,” compared with the established market that stock from the Chathams had at Addington, Mr G. B. McCredie, chairman of the North Canterbury Stock Auctioneers’ Association, said last evening “Hawke’s Bay is an area which has 100 per cent. Romney sheep and they’re very good,” he said. “Charthams sheep marketed there would be travel-stained and would appear at a disadvantage. “On the other hand, at Addington the supply of Romneys was not plentiful and they consequently sell at a premium, a fact which is shown in any market report This applies to Romneys from the Chaithams and from local sources. "The farming community in Canterbury is well acquainted with the ‘doing* qualities of Chatham sheep, irrespective of their appearance, and they are in keen demand. “It would appear to me to be a very retrograde step to take the Chef herns sheep away from an ortabtehed market "At Howie’s Bay the Chathams sheep would be very much *a drop in the ocean’ and the market there is much more limited in its demand from buyers for store sheep. It is also a very early district and most of the sheep there are sold in January which would be too early for the later Chatham Island lambing. By the time the sheep got there the district could very easily be in one of its very dry spells,” he said.

The position regarding cattle was similar and the demand in Hawke’s Bay was for young stock. Canterbury, on the other hand, was short of store cattle and Chatham Islands stock met a good market

The only factor which would influence a change of market would be better prices and travelstained sheep and cattle would not bring the top prices, or make ■ales comparable with fresh local Hawke’s Bay stock, Mr McCredie said.