COMMERCIAL

Grey River Argus, 27 December 1915, Page 4

COMMERCIAL

♦ ADDPNGTOjST B'jlOCK MARKET. MODERATE ENTRIES. For a double market the yardings of stock at Addington on Wednesday were small, and were not so large as the week before. There was a good' attendance. The export buyers were not operating, as the works have sufficient stock booked for the holidays. Fat cattle were a little easer, but fat lambs sold fully up to the previous week's rates. Store sheep showed a little improvement. Fat sheep sold irregularly, but prime were fairly firm at last week's rates, and., medium and inferior were easier. There was a better demand for store cattle, a Southland buyer operating freely. Pigs, generally, were in limited demand. STORE SHEEP. There was a large entry of store sheep, all classes being represented. The yarding was of a mixed class, including some forward wethers and a number of lines -of rape lambs. The demand for all classes was brighter, and a strong demand for forward wethers manifested at the last sale was again in evidence. Taken all round the sale was distinctly brighter than last week, there being buyers present for all descriptions. Quotations are : — * Forward four and six-tooth wethers 18s 6d to 19s lOd. Four and six-toot wethers, 15s 6d to 18s 3d. . Fairly good lambs, 9s to 10s sd. Other lambs, 7s to 8s 9d. Cull lambs, 2s 3d, Ewes and lambs, 8s to 10s Id. Two, four, -.aild six tooth ewes, 13s 6d to 14s sd. Sound-mouth ewes, to 15s. Two-tooth ewes, 13s 2d to 15s sd. FAT LAMBS. There was again a large entry of fat lambs, totalling 2374, but the quality on the average was not equal to that of the previous week's yarding, although there were some specially good pens offered. The bompetition was confined to the butchers, and there was a keen demand for the Christmas trade, prices being -fully equal to those ■of the , previous week, until the last two races were reached, when the market weakened. The range of prices was :— . Extra prime lambs to 275. Prime lambs, 20s to 25s 6d. Lighter, 15s to 19s 6d. Unfinished sorts, lls to 14s 6d. FAT SHEEP. The yarding of fat sheep was a-moder-ate one, both for numbers and quality, only eight races being filled. The bulk of the offerings consisted of ewes of inferior to prime quality, wethers being scarce. The market was irregular throughout, but prime sheep maintained their values, while medium and inferior sorts were easier. The supply proved sufficient for the requirements of butchers, and a few lots of unfinished sheep were bought by graziers. The range of prices was : — Extra prime wethers to 28s 6d. Prime wethers, 20s to 25s 6d. Others, 15s 3d to 19s 6d. Prime ewes, 20s to 255. Medium, 15s to 19s 6d. Lighter, 12b 8d to 14s 6d. FAT CATTLE. Considering that the sale was a "double"' one, the 'yarding of fat cattle was a surprisingly small one, the day's entries'aggregating 287 head compared with 385 last week, 314 on December Bth, 279 on December Ist, and 23 on November 24th.