THE AND COMMISSION. WHANGAREI, May 20.

Otago Witness, Issue 2671, 24 May 1905, Page 26

THE AND COMMISSION. WHANGAREI, May 20.

par with those ruling a fortnight ago. We quote: Extra? prime- stout ox, to 6£d; prime •tout ox, 5d to 5Jd; medium to good, 4§d to 41d; light, ->4jjd" to prime cow, 4§d to *Jd; medium 1 to .good, 4j|d to 4jd; light, -4Jd to 45d; bulls, 2£d to 3d. .per lb; yearlings, 4s 9d to 7* 3d each;. calfskins, Is 6d to 3s 6d each. The "New .-Zealand .Loan and Mercantile 'Agency Company (Limited) report as follows: !We offered a large -catalogue of good average quality hides yesterday at /our .stores, Lower SJattray- street. Competition was brisk for all good, well-flayed lines; while badly-flayed, fatty, slippy,- or cut lots were -hard to dispose . Df, except small value. Light and well got top cow hides were in keen demand; while medium and heavy weights were, if anything, easier -than at last. tale. In light cow hides ,we topped- the market' with -a, line weighing 411b, belonging, to-.Mr Simon Wright, of-Bal-clutha. These sold-at &Lto Messrs -Michaelia,. Hallenstein, -and Co.- Good ox -hides made-up to sid; while _a- few extra stout* made up to 6|d, this being /a very ..special, line in every way; while medium made from .ssd to 4gS, «nd... light -from-4id:.to 4d. Heavy cow sold from Aid ttK4d; while, light and medium sold from 5d to 4|d. , iSP'AIKOUAITI.AND.^iv'ANSDALE STOCK -SALES. ' Messrs Stronach, Morris.-and Co. Teport having held their usual monthly saJe,at Waikouaiti on Thursday, the 11th -May.- .There was a- good 1 vaiding- of -cattle,: and the demand was fair.'; Prices in,- some cases- were a -shade" better; than those ruling -at , oilier .centres . for the - same - class of stock. j.T>airy oowß-weTe.in.,gocd,de- j mand, and all close to. profit sold well. The j following-a re, sonic of our -sales: — 14»iwo-y«ar- j oM steers, ~£&- Is; 508-Jnonths' oiKLflteers, £2, j lla ; cows, dose to profit, £6r-£56 r - £5 10s, and £5 ss ; cows, in; milk,-. £4. t0; £5; .iraUs, .£1 10s; dry cows, 30s to;£3.los;-ocalves,.to.-20s. Measr3"Stronach, : Jlorri3,-aad'C!o. report having held^heir.usoal sale .of -stock at Evans- j bile on- Friday,: iMjty,! o , --when,' besides catfcK they hadua Jiorse a*Le. "33ie -day was \ fine, -^mmH there >waa -*, -large - attendance • of farmers > and others in«erested— in i fact, the 'largest there -hsun heen/ior-'soms- time back. | sPh«> Tmrding -consisted of ,25^ horses, 91 -head ; »f cattle, and 3 pigs. *-Bldding».:for the .horses j jwas "jiot- a® goocLASJaajghi have -been, expected, ■ this • being .due no ,dpubt"-±o'-th«"iact;Jliatiin j » exeat n«mberr^"c«see.tbe^iorseß=w«re=jagfid, ! !>ut - nevertheless s uevwal - dumped .- hands ,*t satisfactory -prices, i Young, -Bountt /- aceugiws ' *rere TOsH-ooinpetea for,, aajd sola, a* -full »alue. v "T3ie'^oU»wing,are-so3iie of the, prices obtained :^-Bay- a»are afisin^- Syxs,' £s6 tbnt this taot feeing equal- to .the- owners xsserve she was pftfiped-dn);' bay-mare, -^yrs, £35; 3jdo, Byri £alH^B«iaings, S&1 an*'*3s -respeofcirely, sixds<»»rftl freni£2s to£-20. - H«cka-3mde £17 , 10s,.'i£1^3nd^£15r^ged^o 'SB^to-£IO- to* i excfflticiin»lry I £ne fonr-year-oiaJMckjnaae-iiSU. ; > Priow»Jor4sattle^were-nmßfc±he J s«sce..aa i at last ] ■ale. Dairy cawsj-fTlOscta^erdryaV^llOa j to M' -ihre»ye«x-old?«te«rs^£4"i«a; iwo-^ear-tld &>: £4 ; yearlings, £3 J.Os j^^csdves, 15s. CJLEABIN^. SALE^ AT SILVERSTREAM. j Messrs- Wright, Stephenson,- and /Go. report j having- ielfi, - .t*ar*eh»lf of Messrs 'Sr.-*ird. 3. Cnrrie, -whose. Please-:- of . the -„ Sflverstream Estate; Iforth' IWieri.-is just about to expire, a, clearing--sale of ihe whole eof their «heep, tattle,- horses, .and«farming3mplements on- the j IBth inst. Tbes'Messrs -Currle's anangements \ for -Hie- '-were all -that could be . desired', j and -4ihe- weather- was most propitious; as a| result of this and the fact lhat stock, imple- [ jnents, etc., had to" be sold to ihe highest | bidder^ there was an excellent attendance of ; Taieri -settlers and -buyers from a distance, i »nd & "very- good Bale -resulted. The sheep were *11 off tussock bill country,- and were not, of course, *o. large as grass-paddock-bred sheep,, and, taking this into account, the prices realised were quite up to Tates lately ruling. Cattle, horses, and farming - impletaents also sold- well. As indicative of values, we report the following prices: — 673 tussock i ewes at 21s; 370 tussock iambs at 13s Id; ! 135 tussock wethers (small) at 15s 4d ; 10 cows at up to i 7; 8 heifers at Tip to £2 15s ; ; 12 two-year-old steers at £3; 20 I^-year steers ! and" at £1 15s; 13 yearlings at 26s Bd. ,- Horses: Aged, at up to £35; 2 yearling colts at '£2o 10s and £22 10s respectively; 3 Ecals at up to £15. SALE OF LEASE I3ST PERPETUITY. Jifessrs-Strcarae'li, .Morris, and. Co. report having'soldjMivafcily on .account of Mi" John La.w, Red. Court,' Gimmerburn, the goodwill of sec- ' tern % block I, Maniototo district, containing * 253. acres, to Mr Croinb. The section is in its virgin state, and has been surface-sown with. • English grass and clover. It is a good little property, and ther« is no doubt the purchaser will da well owt of it, the price being a xeaso-n-»ble one. SALE OF STOKEBURN RUX AND STOCK. Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co. report having sold privately, on account of Mr James Chapman, his well and favourablykcown small grazing run known as " Stone- j

burn," 12 miles from Palmerston, and containing 3669 acres, together with over 2000 superior halfbred and merino sheep and other stock, plant, and improvements, to Mr K. Cameron, of Goodwood, at a satisfactory price. This is one of the soundest and best little sheep runs in Otago, and the purchaser is certainly to be congratulated on his good judgment in acquiring it. SALE OF DAIRY STOCK, &c. i Messrs Stronach, Morris, ajid Co. report having sold privately for Mr E. King (who has taken up , a section on the G-reenfield Settle-ment)-all the stock of implements, etc., on his farm at Seacliff to Mr W. G-. Leckie. The stock comprised 77 head of cattle (including 49 milk cows), 6 horses, pigs, implements, and sundries. _-Mr King had deservedly earned the name of keeping nothing but the best of everything - on his' farm, and 'Mt Leckie is to be congratulated on securing such excellent stock to carry on the lease of the property. The price paid is satisfactory to both, parties. : -SALE OP THE CLYDESDALE COLT ! - - SPRINGFIELD. The Otago Farmers' Co-operative Association of Ecw Zealand (Limited) report.: — One of the most, important sfcles of a Clydesdale colt that has taken 1 place here for a considerable time has JHst been effected by us on account of Mr itug'h. G-ibson, of Springfield Farm, North Taieri, the purchaser being-Mr William Cotfan, >v of'Rockyside-Farm, Sandymount, Otago Peninpsul«, who v is deserving .of the highest corgratuj lations (especially from the Peninsula farmers) i for his energy «n9. enterprise in becoming the f I owpier of one of the best, if not the coming premier, colt in Otago, and we may say further that h.e is now pronounced by popular judges ito be the best colonial-bred two and a-half , year old Clydesdale colt in this province. We cannot leave "the breeder (Mr -TLugh. Gibson) without a word of I -pr«is4 for i havii3€;<breil^and reared. such a gallant i colt aa Springfield, and which is a true type of tthe far-famed Clydesdale breed, standing 16.1 I hands. high, with splendid flinty bone, a fair I -quantity of- beautiful - quality hair, and grand : feet, his top being almost faultless. His sire • Pride's Fancy, the property of Mr Robert ; Gawn, Deer Park, North Taieri, is sired by Xiion King, by British Lion (imported from Scotland by the late Mr Hugh Ray); 4am Scotch Annie (346 N.Z.S.B), imported from Scotland by the late Mr Henry Hill. Scotch -Annie was a -pure Clydesdale mare (bred by Mr John ' Craig, Drumo). At Dunedin show, : 1683, she gained first prii* and medal fox beat " nrare on Irhe ground ; at Taieri, 1884, first prize V for Tu«re and two -of .her progeny ; at Dunedin, 1885, firat' prize and medal for best mare in 5 yard. Pyide's^ -Fancy's dam PriSw.gained many i .prizes at -Diinwh'n and . Taieri ahowa, includ- | ing ' two ■ champions. Her sire. Salisbury's | Pride, was a son ' of Jjhe renowned Lord Saiißi bury, imported' from Scotland by the late Mr J. F. Kitching, at & cost of -1500gr9. Blossom, d*m of Springfield, is aired by Lord Lynon, •grand-dMn^ by^Sar Bobe&7t, great-gTand dam by What's Wanted, thus • showing that the •son of Pride's - Fancy is' one of the most fashionably bred Clydosdale colts in this colony. CLEARING SALE AT MANUKA CREEK. ''Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co. veport i having held a very successful aale at Manuka : Creek on Friday, 19th inst., on account of : Messrs Rrss and Cook (who have recently sold ! their farm) of the whole of their live stock \ and implements. The day being fine there '- was a. large attendance of local farmers as ( well as v number who had oome from con- ; siderable dist&noes in quest of the stock i offered. The sheep, cattfe, and horses were • all in first-class condition, and, under keen competition, realised full rates. The implements also were disposed of ait exceedingly satisfactory prices. The vendors, who are old and respected settlers in the district, ex- " pressed themselves as being highly satisfied : with the prices obtained. The following are some of the sales effected:— Bay filly at £37; • Bay mare at £36 10a; bay gelding ait £24; bay mare (light) at £22; two-year-old filly at i £20; yearling oolt at £-20; six steers and | heifers, 18 months to two years old, at £2 10s ; , 168 crossbred ewes at 21s ; 309 full and failingmouthed ewes at 19s ; 33 two-tooth ewes and wethers at 18s 6d; 44 lambs «£ Ids sd. ! r SALE OF A PUREBRED LEICESTER ' FLOCK. ; Messrs DaJgety and Co. (Limited) report: J We have sold on uccount of Mr Jamas Blair, i of Abbotsford Estate, Owtraxn, his flock of prarahred Boards? Leicesters, comprising 180 ' two, four, six, and eight-tooth ewes (N.Z.F.8.. J Vol. 1. No. 61) to Mr John Wilson, of Devonshire Farm, OphiT. The flook was started in j 1894 from ewes bred by Messrs Gillies and ; Street and other well-known breeders, and since then Mr Blair has culled heavily every year, and has spared no expense in the selection of sires. As a restilt Mr Blair has invarialjfy realised high prices for his two-tooth flock Tarns, and at the ram fair, held at Burnaide yards in March last, ths whole of this season's draft were &old at 4fgs. Otago Central is generally regarded as some of the A healthiest sheep country in OtagOj and as Mr |

Wilson has one of the finest farms in #xat district, the change of feed and climate should, if anything, improve the flock, which is certain to turn cut a profitable investment to Mr Wilson, as well as an. acquisition to tho district. SPECIAL HOE-SB SALE AT BALCLT7THA. i Messrs DaJgety and Co. (Limited) report having held si special sale o-f draught and light harness horses at the Corporation Yards, • Balclutha, on Friday, 19th inst. The entry was made up of draught foals, two and a-half year eld draught colts and fillies, and three -and four year olds broken to harness, hut the greater number was comprised of aged mares and gelding's suitable for farm -work. Light harness horses were poorly represented. Although there was a considerable attendance of farmers from the surrounding districts, tha demand, was, anything, but brisk, and a large number of the entries had to be turned out unsold. The entries did not include any i -really first-class horses, but, notwithstanding, the great bulk was of a class to suit the I requirements c-f the average farmer. It -was '• therefore somewhat disappointing that what was one of the largest sales of farmers' horses should have turned out a comparative failure, and it is evident that so far as the Cluth* district is concerned,' the supply of farm horses exceeds the demand. For young draughts £34 was paid for a. nice rising three-year-old colt bred by Mr George M'Donald, of Stirling, and the same owner obtained £33 for another of the same age. Mr W. Smith, of Stirling, sold a rising two-year-old filly for ' £26, and fox a well-bred colt by Present Times Mr David Murray, of Warepa, obtained £25. The highest price obtained for draught mares and geldings, strong farm horses, was. £46, while useful young draughts made £35 to £40, and aged of the same class £25 tc £3.0. ; DUKEDIN HORSE SALEYARDS. Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Vo. report ac follows: — The number of horses forward en Saturday, 20l:h inst., was very small, and the quality all through was poor. There were j a few buyers present requiring good, sound, , active shatters, but, as none of our entries corresponded with the classes in demand, , very h'tlle business was done. Had ihere been suitable stock forward on Saturday we could ' easily have sold a number >at full values. We j have customers wanting a well-matched pair , of buggy coba, also for order-cart horses, and i we can recommend clients having stock of the above classes to try our market. We sold a nice upstanding spring-cart mare at £35, , a spring-cart gelling at £22, and for six hacks we obtained from £9 to £16 10s. Next Saturday we will offer on account of Mr John Drummond (Ontram) his waggon team of 12 nrst-olsss draught mares and geldings, waggon and harness complete. Quotations: Superior young draught geldings, at from £60 *o £55 j extra good, prize horses, £56 to £63 ; superior young draught mares, £60 to £66; medium draught mares, and geldings, £3o to £45 ; aged do, £15 to J825 ; upstanding carriage horsefe £25 to £35; w«ll-ma*ched carriage pake, £8O to £100; strong spring-van horses, 4530 -to £35 " railk-c«rt and butchers' order-cart horses, £20 to £25 ; light hacks, £12 to £15; extra good hacks, £18 to £25 ; weedy and aged hacks and harness horses, £5 to £10. OTAGO FARMERS' HORSE BAZAAR. The Otago Farmers' Co-operative Association of New Zeaalnd (Limited) report:— We he-ld our usual weekly sale of horses a* our bazaar, adjoining wool and grain stores, Crawford and Vogel ttreets, on Saturday last. May 20. when w* again had: a large entry, 60 horses all told coniinflt under the auctioneers notice, made up of heavy draught mares and J geldings, van horses, plough mares and goings, spring-oaitMrs, express sorts, buggy geldings, hackneys, etc. The consignments from Oamaru, Talari, Maniototo, Seacliff, Palmerrston, and Peninsula met with good competition, and changed hand's under the hammer . at prices auvbe satisfactory to sellers and buyers. Young horses included in the whole of " our entry were in good demand (more especially those referred to in the above consignments). It is worthy of note that young, sound clifty cart mares and geldings are wanted both in town and country- This was | more noticeable on Saturday than has been r the case for -some time, the town carriers ' being badly in want of freah young horses r straight in from the country. On this account 1 we have no hesitation in advising intending 1 sellers tf> forward their horses when opportunity offers. Van geldings, suitable for a ton to 30cwl haulage, are in great demand. 1 as also are upstanding, sound, active, s>pring1 carters. Order-cart geldings, quiet and sound, i suitable for bakers, grocers, and butchers' • oarts, are wanted, and are easily placed at good values. Express horses, upstanding sorts, ' are also easily placed. Light draught mares and geldings, suitable for contractors' plough teams, are sought after, and a few of this class can be easily disposed of. Buggy geldings are wanted. The number forward m this section was limited, and only ft few changed hands. We have an. inquiry for a waggonette pair about 16 hands, quiet and sound. ! Hackneys were not plentiful, A few good

sorts could have been sold at fair values. There was a good attendance of farmers and town carriers, and on the whole the sale was a most successful one. We quote: Heavy cart mares and gelcfings, £50 to £60; lighter eorts, £45 to £50; plough mares and geldings, suitable for four-horse teams, £35 to £42; van geldings, £38 to £48; spring-carters, £25 to £30; order-cart sorts, £22 to £28; buggy gelding, -£20 to £23; buggy pairs, real good sorts, up to £60; carriage pairs, £80 to £100. PROPERTY SALE. Messrs Donald Reid and Co. report having offered for sale at auction on Monday, the 15th inst., Ihe freehold property neai Milburn known as Hood's Farm, containing 240 acres of good farming land, being an early selection by the late Thomas Dall. The property has all been cultivated, and includes a brick, dwelling house, barn, stable, etc., and was offered under direction of the trustees in the estate. There was brisk competition up to £8 10s per acre, but this price being romewhat below the reserve, it was passed in. and is now, for a short time, open for private sale. There has been -some inquiry since the sale, and it is probable that business may result. SOUTHLAND LAND. As an "indication of the favour in which Southland land is being viewed, Messrs I. W. Raymond and Co. sold a farm of 350 acres last week at £10 15s t>er acre, that was purchased a few months ago at £4 10s. The purchaser is Mr John Stinson, one of the most practical farmers in Southland. He visited the north some time ago to have a look around, but returned to Southland and purchased within a mile or so of the farm he previously held. He has got a farm now that good money can be made out of. THE LABOUR MARKET. John/ Skene and Son report under date May 23, as follows: —During the past week we have been very successful in filling the bulk of the orders entrusted to us for ploughmen, good practical men being a trifle more plentiful. Experienced trappers (good solid workers) can be accommodated with good blocks almost at any time., Milkers- (good smart hands) are always required. We are also kept fairly busy supplying the following: —Hill shepherds, cooks, bakers, flaxmill hands, and married couples. We quote wages as follows: First-class ploughmen, 25a, 235, 22s 6d; trappers, 5d per pair; milkers. 17s 6d to 22s 6d; station blacksmiths, 25s to 30s; shepherds, £60 to £65; farm and station couples, £75 to £80; labourers, Is per hour; grooms and porters for cuuutry hotels, 15s to 20s; fencers, 21s to 255; waggon drivers, 30s. All the above-mentioned are required almost every day of the week.

At the sitting of the Land Commission. Mr M'Kenzie, Orown Lands Commissioner, put N in a new form of notice to -Crown tenant defaulters, asking what proposals they would make for payment. The practice now was not to forfeit for arrears, but rather sue in court, although not yet found necessary. M. W. Armstrong, a member of the Land Board, thought the present tenure sound. It was scarcely worth while introducing the homestead system unless large areas were available. He favoured selling gum reserves by auction. J. M. Killen, a lawyer and farmer, held that the freehold was best for the country and settler. He thought Natives should be allowed to deal direct with purchasers. Practically all the witnesses favoured the freehold. Many of the lease-in-perpetuity tenants at Maagakahia complained that the lands were loaded 4s per acre for roading, and little money had been spent. They desired the freehold, and mostly favoured elective Land Boards and homestead with improvement clauses in place of residentiaL Mr Crane, auctioneer, referred to 10,000 acres of forest reserve, one from which the timber had been removed, and said that it was not a valuable setjjenaent, but was growing weeds. A share of the ppum and, timber royalties ought to be given to° counties for reading. Mr Wakelin, president of the Farmers' Union, went straight for the freehold. The Advances to Settlers Act worked satisfactorily. Other lease-In-perpetuity settlers felt insecurity oi tenure and could not trust the Land Boai-d. The Maungatapere Partners' Union petitioned that no further private estates be bought until all unoccupied Native and Crown lands are thrown open for settlement. Rhys, an ex-settler. «aid he had been attracted to the colony on account of the liberal land laws. He was struck with the amount of noxious weeds on arrival in the district. Five years ago he took up a gorsc section, bnt had since sold it. Ho still held 10 acres of freehold, although a believer in

land nationalisation. He characterised all land agents as sharks. He considered that not 10 per cant, of the freeholders owned their land, on account of the mortgages. A demonstration followed, and some members desired the witness to stop ; but Mr Paul appealed, and the evidence was continued briefly. The commission rose at 5.30, and stays over Sunday at Whangarei". The commission proceeds to Wairoa overland on ilonday, Great interest is taken in the proceedings here.