COMMERCIAL

Hokitika Guardian, 28 April 1938, Page 7

COMMERCIAL

ADDINGTON MARKET. 1

DECLINE IN LIVESTOCK PRICES

\'Per Press Association—Copyright)

CHRISTCHURCH, April 27.

At the Addington market to-day the entry of store sheep was small, comprising inferior sorts. There was quite a fair showing of Chatham ewes and wethers } and also of North Canterbury station wethers. Buyers were few, hut the wethers sold well, selling at 22a 2d. Ewes depreciated by 2s a head all round.

The fat lambs constituted a yarding of 2000 head. The quality was poor. Th e sale was back to normal values but was erratic, heavy-weights selling to 8d per lb, and medium weight to Bjd while others had a dragging sale. Best lambs fetched ?6s Id.

There was a large yarding of 7000 fat sheep. The quality was mixed. The sale opened well, being on a p M r with the Easter market, rut lin- s were back 4s to 5d on last week’s sale. Iho sale was a good one, go.nl < -orts being keenly sought for, and lighter classes being taken by the freezing companies. Best ewes sold to 31s Vd and best wethers 34s Id.

The fat cattle were an overflow entry of 640 head. The quality was indifferent. The market opened steadier, values being back by 10s to 15s a head, cows declining by more in cases. The sale, however, showed little change, and finished well, considering the yarding. Values were: —E||fcra prime heavy steers to £lB 2s 6d, prime heavy steers £l3 15s to £ls 15s, prime medium weight steers £l2 5s to £l4, ordinary steers £lO to £ll 10s. light steers to £9 ss, extra prime heifers to £l2 17s Od, prime heifers £9 to £lO ].os, medium heifers £7 10s to £8 165,; ordinary heifers £6 5s to £7 ss, light heifers to £6, extra prime cows to £l2 12i 6d, prime cows £8 5s to £lO, medium cows £6 to £8 ( light cows to £5 15s.

There was a large entry of fat pigs in the pork section, mixed in quality. Only the best quality was saleable. Choppers were in heavy supply, meeting a poor demand. Baconers were in medium supply, and had sale at recent rates. Light porkers sold from 32s 6d to 41s fid, medium porkers, 4?s 6d to 49s fid, and heavy porkers 51s 6d to 54s fid, the price per lb being fi'd to fijd. Light bacon sold from 55s fid to £3 4s 6d, medium bacon £3 5s fid to £3 11s 6d, heavy £3 19s fid to £5, the price per lb being fid to 6*d. The store pigs were a very heavy yarding, but poor in quality. It was the poorest sale for years. Weaners sold as low as from Is to Bs, slips from 7s to 11s, stores 13s to 16s, and large store 16s to 265.