ADDINGTON SALE DAY

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29234, 18 June 1960, Page 12

ADDINGTON SALE DAY

Opposition To Change

Concern at the decision to change the Addington sale day from a Wednesday to a Tuesday during the winter and spring months, and “the detrimental effect it would have on farmers in the Ashburton County,” was expressed at yesterday’s meeting of Mid-Canterbury Federated Farmers’ meat and wool section. Members agreed that the sale day for the local stock market at Tinwald, which is usually on a Tuesday, would have to be changed to avoid a slump, although there was no other suitable day for it. A decision to write to North Canterbury Federated Farmers for its views and discuss the matter further at the Mid-Canterbury executive meeting next Friday, was made alter a lively discussion. The acting-chairman of the section (Mr A. H. Sim) said that he had discussed the matter of changing the sale day for the Tinwald stock market with representatives of the Stock and Station Agents’ Association. They had informed him that there was a possibility that from the time when the Addington stock market reverted to a one-day sale on a Tuesday, the Tinwald stock market would be held on a Monday. If that was decided on, it would only be in effect during the winter and early summer months until Addington reverted to a two-day sale. Mr Sim said he had made it quite clear that a substantial number of farmers fattened stock for the Tinwald market and that they would be adversely affected by the change suggested. He had also pointed out that if the Tinwald market was held on a Monday, it would mean that the farmers would have to work on a Sunday. However, it would be detrimental to have both the Tinwald stock market and the Addington market store sales on the same day. “Not Happy”

The change from a Wednesday to a Tuesday for the Addington market had been brought about by a minority in Christchurch who wanted the change and a lot of farmers were not happy about it, said the Mid-Canterbury provincial president (Mr D. M. Bruce).

“Whether we are going to* be pushed about by Addington has to be discussed,” Mr Bruce said. It would be a retrograde step to hold the Tinwald market on a Monday. A lot of farmers would just not bother to patronise it, Mr Bruce said. “I do not think that a Monday sale at Tinwald will satisfy any farmers but we are the tail and we cannot wag the dog in Christchurch. If Addington is held on a Tuesday we can do nothing about it,” said Mr G. W. Scarth. Stock and station agents in Mid-Canterbury were not happy with the change, Mr Sim said. He said that he had left them with the impression that it would be detrimental to farmers in MidCanterbury to have two store sales on the same day, but a sale at Tinwald on a Monday would also be unsatisfactory. A suggestion that the Tinwald Stock Market be held on a Wednesday, was made by Mr A E. Killian. He said that Tinwald had a tremendous potential as a store market and in time would be the main store market in Canterbury. “Please keep thinking about It —you have until the end of July,” concluded Mr Sim.