THE RAM FAIR.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLV, Issue 59, 10 March 1911, Page 5

THE RAM FAIR.

.Although there was a. good attendance of, farmers at the Ram Fair yesterday, the sale was by no means the success it might have been. The bidding was not as spirited as the. class of sheep offered would warrant. The cause o"1' this is not difficult to arrive at in fact, the very'dry weather experienced here for some time past could have no other than an ill effect upon the stock markets. The farmers have been unable to .get rid of their lambs', and consequently they are in no mood for buying, but are sellers all the time, if prices suit. The same thing has happened in Canterbury,:' where the farmers have not been able' to sell their fat lambs, and they are now left with a lot of stores on hand. The lack of demand has created a bad market,, if the torm might be used', and it is r.ot surprising to find that at every sale there is not the animation to be noticed under conditions more favorable. The weather^ it is considered, should not have any effect upon the ram market, and local firms are unable to account for the poor prices offered for those submitted at auction yesterday. It ?.s only natural that there should not be a demand for ewes when prevailing conditions are taken into account, because, owing to ruling quotations, farmers.are placed in the position of having to holdtiieir old ewes,-and thus they are unable to buy young ones.

Messrs Dalgety and C, Ltd., report as follows:—The annual Ram Fair was held at the A. and P. Show Grounds, Maxwell Road, Blsriheim, yesterday, when a large •yarding, comprising 900 stud and' floek 'rams, und 600 ewes, was offered to <a. very representative attendance of buyers. Hie sale was on the whole._a disappointing one, and very dragging throughout, and it was very late in the'day before it was. concluded. The largest entry comprised English Leicesters, including the stud flock of Mr J. R. Corrigan, of Hawera, sales from which were made as follows:—Ewes 21s to 27& 6d; rams 7gns., 6§gns., sgns., 4jgns. to 3gns.; ram lambs 1 guinea. A very nice line of rams from Mr R. Bremer, Waverley, realised from 2i to 3Jgris. Other sales of English Leicester rams were on account of Mr C. M. Threlkeld, Flaxton, from 2% to 3gns. On account of Mr W. Nixon, Killinchy,' 2Jd +o 3igns>. On account of Mr A. T. Rutherford, junr., Brookdale. 3gns. On account of Mr F. M. Foster, Seddon, 2|gns. In halfbreds some nice rams were yarded, notably Lincoln-Merino cross. Our best sales were on account of Mr A. W. Rutherford, junr., at 2§ to 4gns. On account of Carter's Trustees, Hillersden 3£ to 3|gns. On account of Mr W. Bell, Flaxmere, 2 to 3£gnig. On siccount of Leefield Estate, 1 to l|gns. Border Leicesters were not in demand, although some good lines were yarded. We sold a very nice line of rams on account of Mr G. H. Andrew, Birch Hill, for 3gns. The inquiry for Romneys was disappointing, although the offering was small. On account of Mr W. Bell, Flaxmere, we sold rams from 2j to s£gns., and on account of Mr G. O Beech, (bred by Mr P. Mungavin) at 4gns. Shropshire's were unsaleable. For Lincolns there was a fair demand, and some good lines were yarded. Our best sales were on account of M- D. Bishell, Caythorpe, at 3 to 4gns. On account of Mr A. Bell I Riverlands, at 2§gns., and a nice line of 3-shear rams en .-icnount of Messrs Wiffen Bros, realised 2gns.

It was stated of a young girl at the Bethnal Green Coroner's Court that she had for years past done nothing all day but read novelettes.