WESTFIELD MARKET

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22917, 21 December 1937, Page 9

WESTFIELD MARKET

GOOD CHRISTMAS SALE HIGHER VALUES GENERAL COMPARISONS WITH LAST YEAR Moat supplies foy the Christmas market were bought by butchers at tho West-field fat stock sales yesterday at prices which, with the exception of lambs and some calves, were in advance of those ruling at the Christmas sale last year. The greatest increase was shown in the case of beef, which improved Is to 40s per 1001b. 011 last week's values, and was 8s per 1001b. dearer than at this time last year. Sheep and pigs increased in price on recent markets, and were some shillings a head better in value than a year ago.

Comparatively small entries of stock came forward, which resulted in many complaints from butchers, for whose benefit the sale was held two days earlier than usual so that the meat would be available for Christinas trade. A number of cattle dealers refrained from delivering stock on account of week-end transport difficulties. This was particularly noticeable in tho case of vendors from southern provincial districts. Calf and pig entries were also affected, but not so with sheep and lambs, of which there were plentiful selections. Picked Beef Offered About 150 head of cattle fewer than the previous sale were offered. It was mostly picked stock, some very choice quality being available. From the outset bidding was spirited, and prices generally improved from 10s to £1 a head, resulting in quotations being increased to the level operating at the beginning of tho month. Steers were traded to £ls, against £l4 last week, while prices a year ago ranged to £l3 2s 6d. Cows made to £l3 7s 6d, compared with £lO 17s fid last week and £lO 15s last year. Practically a full delivery of sheep was sold under strong competition from numerous butchers. The fine quality indicated careful choice, and several of the primest lines sold to 31s 3d, showing an advance of 9d on last week's sale and Is 9d on that of last Christmas. The value of ewes was on a par with rates operating last week and last year, the best pens realising to 23s a head.

Much-increased Lamb Entry Four races were filled with lambs, the most offered at any recent sale occupying no moro than three races. The popularity of lamb as a seasonal delicacy doubtless accounted for a slight rise in prices to 3f>s a head, against 27s 9d last week, but they failed to reach the scale of 30s 9d ruling last year. It was a keen sale, however, and a satisfactory one for stock vendors. A restricted offering of calves was poor in quality. There was a good demand for prime sorts, which showed a definite recovery in price after recent declines. Values were np to 10s a head higher than last week, runners selling to £6 14s and vealers to £7. The respective top bids at the corresponding sale last year were £9 10s and £5 3s. The best vealer yesterday was an exceptional beast, the general bidding reaching only slightly in excess of £5. Pigs were also in short supply, bnt quality throughout was very sound. Values for the best baconers improved by about 3s a head on last week's schedule, and the principal transaction of £4 7s was 12s above that of a year ago. Forkers also firmed by about 2s a head to £3 Is, against £2 17s last year. Baconers averaged 6id per lb. and porkers Gid. Comparison of Quotations The following is a summary of the prices realised for fat stock for the last two weeks at the Westficld fat stock sales:— This Week L?st Week BEEF (per 1001b.) Extra choice ox 40/- 39/Choicc * prime ox 31/- to 30/- 33/- to 38/Clioice <t prime cow & heifer 32/- io 3R'- HO/- to 37/Boner <£ rough 25/- lo 31/- 22/- to 20/SHF.EP (per head)— Priino wethers 2:1/- to .31'3 21/- to 3n/f> Unfin. wethers 20/- to 23/- 38/- to 23/0 Prime ewes .. 14/- to 23/- 14/9 to 23/Unfin. ewes .. 1/- lo 15/- 5/- to 15/Prinie lambs 20/- to 30/<• 21/- to 27/9 ■Unfin. lambs 14/- to 10/0 10/- to 20/6 CALVES (per head)— Runners .. 40/- to 134/- 50/- lo 132/6 Vealers .. 7/- to 140/- 5/- to 105/PIGS (per head)— Baconers .. 02/- lo 87'- 01/* lo 81/Porkers .. 30/- lo 61/- 29/- to fiO/Weanrrs 12/- to 2!'• TO/- to 22/Slips . . 10/- to 25/- 20/- lo 20/* Largo stores 25/- to 38/- 27/- to 30/> Individual Consignments

Top price for ox beef was obtained by Mr. C. Alma Baker, of Port Waikato, who marketed a line of 18 to £ls. Steers yarded by Mr. H. C. Bull, of Mangere, brought to £l4 l?s 6(1. and a draft from Mr. G. Hastie. of Papatoetoe, sold to £l4 15s. Lots from Mr. F. Colbeek, of Karakn, and Mr. A. Orr, of Papatoetoe. ranged to £l3 15s, and an entry from Mr. E. P. Paul, of Mangere, was priced to £l3 10s. Choice stock from Mr. .T. T. Hamilton, of Awhitu, made to £l2 17s Gd. and bidding to £l2 10s was accej\ed for cattle from Mr. W. W. McLaughlin, of Papatoetoe. Cows and heifers offered by Mr. H. A. Swaffield, of Papatoetoe, were traded to £l3 7s 6d, nnd a line from Mr. .T. A. Hill, of Ohinewai, made to £l2 15s. Mr. H. Windsor, of Matangi, sold a line to £ll 17s fid. and £ll 10s was the best riffcr for cows from the Xgapuke Estate, of Papatoetoe. Trucks from Mr. W. L. Orr, of Papatoetoe. and Mr. .T. Glasson, of Karaka, realised to £ll 7s Gd and £ll 2s Gd respectively. Prices to £lO 12s Gd were received for an offering from Mr. C. Proctor, of Ohinewai. and a heifer from Mr. H. Gage, of Papatoetoe, made £lO ss. Other quotable transactions were completed on behalf of Mr. J. C. Bull, of Waingaro, to £9 17s 6d; Mr. H. C. Bull, to G9 15s; Mr. F. C. Bull, of Mangere, and Mr. C. Wharfo, of Mangawai, to £9 12s Gd; Mr. .T. Langford, of Papakura, to £9; Mr. H. Plumlev. of Papatoetoe, to £8 10s; Mr. B. Hall, of Wiri, to £8 7s 6d; and Mr. Colbeek, to £8 2s Gd.

DETAILS OF SALES AUCTIONEERS' REPORTS LOAN AND MERCANTILE The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company. Limited, reports on the sale as follows: Beef. —We had a small yarding of beef. Competition was extra keen, and values advanced t:>s to A'l a head for most lines, with quotations better by Is to 2s per 1001b. Extra choice ox sold to £2 per 1001b.; choice and prime ox, £1 lis to AM l!)s; ordinary ana plain ox, £1 8s to £1 Ills; prime young; cow and heifer beef, £ 1 12s to £1 l>s; ordinary cow beef, ±1 5s to £1 lis. No extra heavy or heavy steers were penned. Medium prime steers, £l3 to £i:s 15s; light prime steers, £'lo to £l2 His; plain and small, .£'<> to £f) 15s; extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £'lo 10s to £IL lOg; heavy prime young cows and heifers, £8 12s (id to £lO ss; iighter, £7 to £8 10s; light, £5 to £0 17s (Jit; aged and plain finished cows, £2 10s to £1 15s.

Sheep.—Less than an average entry of sheep met a ready demand, with values improving on last week's sale. Heavy prime wethers, £1 los to £1 Its :sd; medium prime wethers, £1 8s to £1 Us »d; light prime wethers, £L 5s to £1 7s l)d; small and unfinished wethers, £1 Is to £1 4s; heavy prime ewes, £1 to £1 Is; medium prime ewes, 18s :?d to l!)s Od; light prime ewes, Mis to 18s; inferiorly fatted ewes, 12s to 15s. Lembs.—A smaller entry of lambs than Usual for a Christmas sale, sold under steady competition at last week's rates. Heavy ~ 1 to £1 Tstid; medium prime, £1 iJs to £1 5s 0d; light prime, £1 to £1

-'s lid; smaller, ISs to 10s fid; unfinished 15s to 17s lid. Pigs.—\Ve had a small yarding of pigs, mostly porkers, for which competition was Keen and values improved on lust weeks quotations. Choppers sold from X'J to X 3 fcs; medium baconers, from X 3 (is to X 3 13s; light hacouers and heavy j>orkers, from X 3 to ±3 Is; medium porkers and light porkers, from xj 5s to xy ]»«; small, XI los to v ,-»• A small yarding of store pigs sold at late rates. Large stores, £1 5s to XI iM*' Is '° weaners, l'Js to Cal*e».—-Our entry of calves was an average one. Hie market generally wag short, w.\u/' 0,n,,el ! ,10n slack > a lew extra good vfdlers meeting with spirited competition. \ alues were better. Kunners, IU to £5 15sheavy yea lers, £."> to £7; for a choice vcaler from Henrys Estate, of Patumahoe, the line iL i'W 8 i " ii>h; medium, i t to xi < V't if - ' 5 ; ' s '° 1 ~ s; smaller, £-J 15s to H - l t i° i 1 lKs; calves, oid, 7s to llfs S oPl ' cd to two weeks ALFRED BUCKLAND AND SONS Alfred Buckland and Sons, Limited reJ'orts on the sale as follows'— ,mULa ' re Beef.—Our total yarding of fat rattle numbered IfiL head, as against -Jlo head last week, comprising J(i steers and 145 cows and heifers. A small yarding of ox beef met with a very keen sale, and values hL,'iwr d ,i by a^ ut T ,s 3 hpatl Cows and hellers also sold under spirited competition anu in this department values improved on recent sales. Kxtra choice ox sold to VI per 1001b; choice and prime ox, £l 37s to £ l ji»s; secondary and plain ox, x 1 13s to 11 10s; prime young cow and heifer beef, £1 15s to XI ins; ordinary cow beef, XI .js U> XL JOs. Extra heavy prime steers ranged in price from Xl-J los to Xl 5; heavy prime steers, XI J to fll 7s (id; lighter prime steers, Xl 3 7s (id to XI3 15s; light prime steers, X 1 to Xl2 15s; small and unfinished steers, X 8 to £lO Jss-, extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, xio to X-13 7s (Jd; heavy prime cows and heifers, X'H to XO; lighter prime cows and heifers, X 7 to £7 15s; other killable cows, £1 10s to XO. Sheep.—Sheep were penned to the number of 6»5. Bidding was steady throughout the sale, and values were slightly firmer than last week. Extra heavy prime wethers, XI lOs to XI lis 3d; heavy prime wethers, XI 8s to XL !»s Od; medium to heavy prime wethers, XI Os (Jd to XI 7s fid; light to medium prime wethers, XL 4s 6d to XI .5s fid; unfinished wethers, XL to XL 3s; extra heavy prime young ewes, XI to £1 3s; heavy prime ewes, ISs (id to 10s Od; lighter prime ewes, l(is fid to J7s fid; other killable ewes, 15s to 10s (id; other ewes, 4s to 12s (id.

Lambs.—Onr total yarding of lambs numbered 107.'). Competition was keen, with quotations remaining firm at late rates. Extra heavy prime lambs, £1 8s to £1 10s; heavy prime lambs. £1 5s (id to £1 7s; lighter prime lambs. £1 3s (id to £t 4s (id; light prime lambs, £! Is (id to £1 2s (>d; small and plain lambs, 15s to £l. Calves.—We had a smaller yard in or of calves. There was a considerably better demand for all vealers, and our quotations for these show a definite recovery. Kunners made £4 15s to £0 (no extra good were offered); heavy vealers, £4 18s to £5 8s; medium, i t to £1 6s; light, £3 to £3 8s; smaller, £"-! to £2 1 Os; unfinished and bucket-fed, 1 (is to £t (in; bobby calves, 5s to lis; 120 calves were sold. Pigs . —There was a medium offering of pigs. Top-weight baconers realised higher prices, while other baconers were traded at late rates. Porkers were again in good request, values showing a further . improvement. Choppers made £'.2 12s to £3 Ids; heavy prime baconers, £3 18s to £4 7s; medium, £3 8s to £3 12s; light, £3 2s to £3 Gs; heavy porkers, £•_' Kis to £3 Is; medium, £2 lis to £2 13s; light, £2 4s to £2 8s; small and unfinished, £1 14s to £1 18s; stores, £1 8s to £1 18s; slips, £1 Is to £1 r>s; weaners, 12s to 18s. Baconers averaged (id per lb and porkers averaged UV 2 d per lb. A total of 378 pigs was sold.

DALCETY AND COMPANY Dalgety and Company, Limited, reports on the sale as follows: Beef.—Our offering of beef totalled 160 head, comprising 10 steers and 150 cows and heifers, against 100 head last week. The small offering accounted for a keen demand, and, as a result, values improved fully Is per 1001b for all classes. Extra choice ox sold to 40s per 1001b; choice and prime ox, 36s to 30s; just killahle, 32s to 355; prime young cow and heifer beef, 35s to 38s; just killable, 25s to 335. Heavy prime steers ranged in price from £l4 to £l4 17s Od; lighter prime steers, £l2 10s to £l3 15s; light prime steers, £ll 10s to £l2 ss; small and unfinished steers, £lO 5s to £ll ss; extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £ll to £l2 15s for heifers from Mr. J. A. Hilt, of Hoe-o-Tainui; heavy prime cows and heifers, £0 to £lO 15s; lighter prime cows and heifers, £7 10s to £8 15s; light cows, £0 to £7 ss; other killable cows, £3 10s to £5 15s.

Sheep.—We had an average yarding of sheep, for which competition was good, and our quotations are firm at late rates. Heavy prime wethers, 2Ss to 20s; medium, 26s Od to 27s (id; light and unfinished, 23s (id to 265; heavy prime ewes, 20s to 235; lighter, 18s to 10s 6d; other ewes. 15? Od to 17s 6d. Lambs.—A heavy yarding of lambs sold under steady competition at rates fully equal to ttiose ruling last week. Heavy prime lamb, 25s to 278 od; medium, 23s to 24s 6d; lighter, 21s (id to .22.% 6d; light, 20s to 21s; small and plain, 14s to 19s 6d. Calves. —The yarding of calves was the smallest for some time. Competition was good and values improved to about the levels ruling a fortnight ago. Thinners, £4 to £0 lis; medium vealers, £4 Is to £4 10s; light, £3 to £3 8s; small, £2 2s to £2 12s; unfinished and bucket-fed, Kis to £1 oS) bobby and rough calves, 7s to 15s. Pigs—A smaller yarding of fat pigs was penned. Baconers sold at fully late rates. Porkers were in keen demand and values ruled very firm on late rates. Heavy baconers, £3 15s to £3 10s; medium, £3 8s to £3 12s; light, £3 2s to £3 6s; heavy porkers, £2 13s to £3; medium, £2 7s to £2 lis; light, £2 Is to £2 ss; small and unfinished, £1 lis to £1 17s.

EDGECUMBE PIG VALUES [by telegraph—OWN* correspondent] WHAKATANE, Monday The Farmers' Auctioneering Company, Limited, placed a pood yarding of pips before a large number of buyers at its fortnightly pig sale at Edgecumbe today. Competition was good and prices remained firm. Small pigS sold at an increased rate on the last sale. Choppers made £'2 10s to £3 7s; best baconers. £3 8s to £3 lis; medium. £3 3s to £3 Ss; 1 light, £'2 ISs to £3 '2s; heavy porkers, £'2 3s to £'2 (is: medium. £1 18s to £'2 3s; large stores, £1 ISs to £'2 IS! slips, £1 Ss to £L 15s; weaners. 16s to £1 Os Od.