RIVAL STOCKYARDS AT OAMARU. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2623, 22 June 1904, Page 21

RIVAL STOCKYARDS AT OAMARU. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

OAMARU, June 18.

The split in the Auctioneers' Association continues to create much interest in Oamaru. To farmers, as well as to butchers and dealers, the subject is one of gieat importance, for the division of the weekly stock sale here into two yards three miles apart means divided yardings, divided buyers, poorer competition, and eventually poorer entries. A very lively meeting took place in the Coimiy Council Chambers to-day, when farmers met to discuss the situation. The room was crowded to excess, many being compelled to stand in the lobby, Avhilo more than threefourths of those inside had to be content with similar accommodation. The chairman of tho Waitaki Coxinty Council, Mr Duncan Sutherland, was put in the chair, though he had had nothing to do with convening the meeting, that having been, done by several well-known farmer=. Tho meoLiig was fairly, representative of the whole district, though perhaps the north end was the v/orsi treated in this respect. The meeting opened with expressions of dissatisfaction from two o£ the shareholders in the North Otagq Farmers' Co-operative Association with tha' action of their directors in mo\in^ to the] yards on the North road -witho/t l>aviu-| c;i]lcd their shareholders together to t i cu4j tho matter. Both expressed their d< uimria-J tion to stick to the Junction Yard- Tlienj

came expressions of opinion in favour of ill© new yards, where it is believed that ulti- [ .thate-ly a fat stock market may be- estab- [ listed, Oamaru Yards having up to the pre- } fient been chiefly a store market. Several j farmers wanted to know why the auctioneers | had not let the farmers know of tho division ' in the camp weeks ago, and the auctioneers' representatives were each permitted to state • their reasons, but they were strictly confined to explanations. Thereafter the meeting was continued amidst frequont uproar, the chairman's calls of "Order! Order !" becoming so frequent that he became quite hoarse ]and could hardly make himself heard. One farmer wanted a referendum to tho farmers pi the district, but this was viewed as impracticable, and \ot-cd out on the voices. Then cam© attacks from a partisan of the North Road Yards on th& chairman on the ground that ho was acting with bias, and "the meeting re-fused to listen to the attacker ; at all. Eventually, bow-ever, three motions were affirmed. The meeting approved tho j principle that there should or.ly be one sale- ! Jrards for Oamaru ; then it decided, without ! I dissentient voice, that the Junction Yaids

should continue to receive the support of farmers, and finally th& split among the auctioneers was condemned amid confusion. This ended the meeting, but supporters of the new yards are not yet satisfied — they maintain that the meeting was not representative. A .lively newspaper controversy, by no means free of the personal element, is pioceeding.