ADDINGTON STOCK MARKET, Christchurch, December 29.

Otago Witness, Issue 2287, 30 December 1897, Page 26

ADDINGTON STOCK MARKET, Christchurch, December 29.

The entries for the day comprised 9794 sheep and lambs, 191 head of cattle, and 177 pigs. Fat Cattle. -Of 103 head, which formed the beef supply, nearly half were in dealers' bauds. Of those which came to auction only about half a dozen were steew showing quality, and these brought £7 10s to £8. The rest of the entry comprised lightweight and inferior animals, for which there was little or no demand. Per head : Steers. j£t to £8 ; heifers, £-2 7s 6d to £4 ss ; and cows £2 12s Gd to £4. At per 1001b : Prime beef, 16s 6d to 17s 6d ; good, 13s 6d to 15j ; and cow and. inferior, 10s to 12s 6J.

Fat Sheep.— The entry was one of the smallest seen for a long time.' With the exception of one or two small line 3of good crossbred wethers the yarding was made up of ewes, the bulk either aged or backward in condition. The small number fit for freezing prevented export buyers operating, and the market was-left entirely iv the hands of the local trade. Wethers met a fair dfcinaud, and sold at Qs to 11s 3J. Youug ewes, too, wore faiily well competed for, and brought 7s to 8s 61 ; medium sortß hard to be disposed of, however, at 4-. 6d to 63 6J, aud aged duggy sorts were difficult to quit even at 2s 6 I.

Fat Lamb3.— 4lS3 ou offer. Although a few were really good, there was a much larger proportion of inferior and unfinished sorts than last week. Einht trucks from the south did not arrive uuvil nearly midday, too late to allow of being drafted. Freezing buyers and the local .trade competed keenly for all the b.s.t Hues, and prices for thete quite held their own, but ordinary butcheis' lines were a trifl- easier," and there was little denund for poorer cla-ses. Fretzing lints brought 9-i 6i tp 11s 9J, ordinary butchers' torts 7s to 9s, and grazioro' lot* from 3i to 6s.

Pigs. — A small yaiding did not meet with a very keen sale. Biconers and porkers can be quoted quite 4d per lb per h- ad, baconeis 36s to 50?, porkcra 2ls to 33s GJ, good stores Hi 9J to 203, and weaaeis 9s to 12i 3d.