STOCK SALE AT MOA FLAT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2668, 3 May 1905, Page 23

STOCK SALE AT MOA FLAT.

Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co. report having-^conducted on Thursday last, the 28th uJt., an important sale of surplus stock on behalf of the Moa Flat Estate Company (Limited). More -than one-third of this, estate having now been disposed of. it became necessary to considerably reduce the live sitock, and consequently nearly 21,000 sheep camo under the hammer. A special train, running straight through from Invercargill and back on the same day., was a -great convenience! and an ir.diucement to buyers and others to attend the sale. In addition to a large number of sheepbuyers there was a big attendance of others, who were anxious to view this fine piece of country, the nature of which had hitherto been unknown to them. From the railway station at Dunrobin,the passengers were conveyed by drags over the Dunrobin ridges, proceeding thereafter through part of tho Moa Flat Estate to the sheep yards, situated about three miles on the west side of the homestead. The day being fine, all present enjoyed the drive, and expressed themselves as immensely pleased with the look of the Moa Flat cotintry, their o.nly regret being .that the time at their disposal did not admit of a moj^e minute inspection of the land. Tho sale started promptly at 1 o'clock, and the following are the details : —Lot 1, a splendid line of 1617 -four and six-tooth crossbred wethers at ISs fed ; lot 2, a line of 2035 very prime heavy freezing wethers at 21s 9d; lot 3, a line of ]254 four-tooth half bred wethers in good condition, 200 at 16s 6d, th© balance .(-054) at 16s; lot 4, a line of 1210 exceedingly good two-tooth crossbred ewes at 21s 6d; lot 5, a line of 3500 well bred Leicester cross lambs (the prettiest line seen by those present for many a day) at 14s 6d; lot 6, 2200 soundmiouthed crossbred ewes at 19s; lot 7, 900 sixtooth crossbred ewes (topped the sale) at 23s 9d ; lot 8, 1500 freezing wethers at 19s 7d ; lot 9, 442 four- tooth 'halfbred ewes, at 22s 6d ; lot 10, 588 eight-tooth crossbred ewes — 250 at 22s 4d, balance (338) at 225; lot 11, 1678 six-tooth halfbred wethers at 18s 4d; lot 12, a lino of 3500 halfbred tussock wether lambs a.t 12s 4d. A total clearance of the 20,324 sheep was effected, in a little over half an hour. It is safe to say that a finer lot of sheep for breeding and uniformity could not be found anywhere, and they were all brought out in great condition. It will be noticed that the prices realised were not so high" as thoso obtained 1 elsewhere at recent clearing sales. This is accounted for by an almost entire absence of demand from Canterbury buyers, and a reluctance on the part of Otago and Southland buyers to pay the extreme rates recently ruling for sheep. The sheep market, however, is still in a very healthy state, and although price* have receded about 2s a head' there cannot be much room for complaint so long as London is willing to pay over 4d per lb, all sunk, for 1 mutton, and over 5d per lb for lamb, as at present.