Feilding Cattle Selling Pavilion

Manawatu Times, Volume 59, Issue 218, 18 September 1934, Page 3

Feilding Cattle Selling Pavilion

Whilo tho new cattle selling pavilion at tlio Feilding sale yards impresses as a structure calculated to meet a long deferred necessity, many of those qualified to express an opinion aro disappointed that the local Auctioneers’ Association did not incorporate in the plans of tho building tho experience and ideas of other stock centres in the handling and selling of cattle. First it is suggested that the pavilion might have been given a more central situation in relation to tho yarding accommodation generally and while this point is not of very great moment since tho building is situated between tho new cattle pens and the old yards, it is argued that the conception of such a structure should have visualised entrances and exits from the four corners instead of only two in tho north-west wall.

Perhaps the most important question is that tho building was planned for tho handling of dairy stock only and it is tho opinion of thoso whoso business is wrapped up in tho buying of stock that, considering the limited season for tho salo of dairy stock, tho building should have been designed to handle both fat and store cattle as well. Only for about three, or four months at tho outside, of the year, is there a big entry of dairy stock so that, as it stands at present, the building will remain moro or less idle following the commencement of tho dairy season. A larger selling ring would have enabled fat and store cattle to be handled in tho pavilion, and it .i 3 doubtful whether the existing ring will serve for any but fairly quiet beasts. It would appear that other centres, Stortford Lodge for' instance, provide for tho selling of cattle, both fats and stores, in a pavilion and this convenience is considered absolutely necessary in any big stock centre.

With a slight rearrangement of the selling timetable for cattle, it is claimed that, given facilities, the Fcilding pavilion would serve all cattlo requirements instead of at present being available for dairy slock alone.

Ac tlio opening of the pavilion on Friday the auctioneers asked for suggestions and many wero forthcoming. It has been proposed that tlio salo of fat cattlo should commenco at 10 a.m. since tho interest in this section of the weekly sale is, in tho main, confined to local and district butchers and perhaps an outsido operator. If the fat cattle were offered at 10 a.m. it would suit butchers for they would bo ablo to get their business over without having to remain about tho yards till the normal hour .for this sale, namely, 1 p.m. Excepting in very heavy yardings the sale would be disposed of in an hour or so and, in any case, well before the fat sheep and dairy cattlo were offered. The salo timetable is largely arranged to meet the convenience of vendors who desire to bo in attendance when their stock is offered and it would not be possible to commence the salo of sheep and daily lines earlier but with fat cattle it is claimed that commencing at 10 a.m. would not bo too early. Reverting to tho building, tho office accommodation is not iu tho best of places to serve all interests nor is it in keeping with the requirements in the busy season. Access from the pavilion is not as convenient as would have been the case had the office been built on tho top floor of tho structure. Situated in that position it would have been easily approached and would have served tho whole yard in a manner decidedly more convenient than tho present location which calls for the negotiation of a rather steep stairway at either end of the pavilion and entry along a narrow passageway. From the sheep pens one has to mount the overhead passageway and proceed to the cattlo pens then descend a stairway leading under tho pavilion to find the office. The arrangements, generally, are are not perfect, nevertheless they go a long way towards meeting an urgent

requirement. It is anticipated that, with the experience of a salo or two, tho Auctioneers’ Association will be ablo to make alterations which will meet those of the suggestions volunteered by visitors considered the more practical.