NORTH ISLAND RURAL LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3030, 10 April 1912, Page 16

NORTH ISLAND RURAL LETTER.

By John Spkns. MONTHLY SUMMARY OF STOCK SALES. Auckland.—At Wcstfield on the opening | sales of the month the stormy and boisterous weather may have accounted! for the anything but redundant yarding of fat bullocks. Competition was keen, and values advanced about 15s per head. Choice ox beef sold to £1 7s per 1001 b, ordinary £1 4s to £1 6s, tow and heifer £1 to £1 4s. Bullocks ranged in price from £6 10s to £ll 12s 6d, cows and heifers £4 10s to £9 17s 6d. At Messrs Buck land and Sons' yards live fat cows from Mr Richard Reynolds, of Cambridge, averaged £9 7s 6d. Veal sold freely; runners £3 10s to £4 ss, choice suckers £2 10s to £3 ss, lighter £1 lis to £2 ss, small and fresh-dropped 3s to £1 ss. Fat sheep came forward in about average numbers. The demand was less marked than on the previous week, and prices may be said to have been on the whole easier. Prime and choice heavy wethers 17s 9d to 19s, heavy 16s to 19s, medium and light lis 6d to 15s, best heavy ewes 15s to 15s 9d, others 10s to 14s, aged and poor 7s to 9s 6d. The bidding for lambs was spirited, and the yardings on the whole were creditable; best 15s to 16s 9d, others lis 6d to 14s, unfinished 6s 3d to 10s. Pigs were still in great demand at high figures; baconons £2 15s to £3 4s, large porkers £2 6s to £2 13.<s liirhter £1 13s to £2 ss, small weaners 10s to 12s. The mid-March' sales were more or less on an average with opening quotations. Mr G. F, Moore, the famous breeder of Bushy Park. Ka.i Iwi, Wanganui, sent up 12 extra prime heavy purebred Hereford bullocks for the side of Wednesday, March 13, which averaged £l4 lis. On March 20 beef was easier and mutton had slightly receded in price. For the closing sales of the month I confine myself to Messrs Dalgety and Co.'s report. Choice ox beef was about on a par with last week, and fetched £1 5s to £1 7s per 1001 b, ordinary £1 4s, cow and heifer £1 to £1 3s. In veal prices were lower; heavy £2 5s to £3 ss, ordinary to choice suckers 10s to £1 15s. In mutton choice heavy wethers fetched from 17s 6d to £1 2s 3d, medium and light 14s 9d to 17s, heavyewes 14s 9d to 17s 9d, medium ewes 10s 6d to 13s 6d. Lambs were in price on a par with former week's quotations. Heavy woolly fetched 12s 6d to 14s 9d, medium 10s to 12s, shorn 9s to lis 9d. Fat pigs sold at lato rates. Heavy porkers £2 5s to £2 15s, baconers £3 Bs, light porkers £1 15s to £2 2s. stores £1 5s to £1 Bs. At Auckland and inter-country sales dairy stock realises good prices. Choice cows in profit £lO lis to £l2 12s 6d, others £6 10s to £8 15s, aged and poor cows £4 to £6, emptv young cows £3 to £4 3s, yearling to 18-month dairy heifers £3 10s to £4 15s, calves (small to strong) 15s to £1 10s. At the Havmarket yards aged draught horses realised'from £22 10s to £3l 15s. At Papakura ordinary heavy draughts fetched £25 to £37 10s. At Otahuhu active young draughts £32 to £36, medium draughts £2O to £27, heavv spring carters £l6 to £2l, Might harness horses £lO to £l3, hacks £7 to £ll, ponies £8 to £ll ss. Waikato.— Well-grown bullocks fetch £6 6s to £6 12 S 6d, three-year sters £4 16s to ±/0 2s, two and a-half-year steers £4 10s to I £4 12s; 20-month steers £3 14s, 15-month steers £3 3s, well-grown calves £1 19s to £2 4s, small sorts £1 to £1 Bs, fat cows £5 to £5 16s. fat heifers £5 10s to £6 2s, store or ordinary heifers £4 10s to £4 14s. springing I heifers £6 to £6 15s, fat ewes Ss lCd to ' 13s 6d, fat wethers 14s 6d, rape lambs 9s 6d to 10s 6d, store woolly lambs 8s 3d to lis, , shorn lambs 6s to 7g 3d, two-tooth owes j (Leicester cross) 15s 3d to 15s 6d, four-tooth to f.m. ewes 6s bo 8s 6d, better sorts 10s ; to 12s 7d. Poverty Bay.—Forward bullocks £5 15s 6d to £6 Bs"6d. three-year bullocks £5 to £5 7s 6d, two-year steers £4 5s to £4 17s 6d, 18moni.l- steers £3 18s to £4 Is, 12 to 15-month steers £3 8s to £3 14s; one-year steers £2 15s, mixed weaners £2 2s. In sheep cull ewes sold at 2s, 3s 6d, and 4s 3d ; aged ewes, some fair lines passed hands at 5s to 5s ! 8d; five to six-year good conditioned ewes i 7s 7d, forward ewes 7s 9d, small two-tooth ewes 7s to 8s 6d, better lines 10s 9d, two, four, and six-tooth ewes (good lines). 12s lid. Wethers have been coming forward | freely, and big emries have been booked; two-tooth medium sized 10s 5d to 10s lid, i better lines lis Id to lis 10(1, well mixed 1 two and four-tooth 12s 3d, shorn lambs 5s 9d, fat ewes 10s 6d to lis 7<l, fat lambs 10s, '■ fat cows (light, weigtit.) £4 ss, well finished :£5 10s forward cows £4 Is. In dairystock 18-month heifers £2 17s. two-year heifers £3 ss, turned two years £4 5s to £5 ss, i dairy cows up to £5. run or station cows with calves £3 17s 6d. Ilawke's Bay. -Fat bullocks £9 2s, fat cows £4 15s, fat ewes Us Id, fat wethers 14s lid. two-vear ste< rs £4 17s. three-year steers £6 10s," 18-month steers £4 2s, dairy £4 to £6 10s, sound-mouthtsd ewes Bs, f.m. ewes 7s 6d. cull sheep 3s Bd, two-tooth wethers 10- 4d. forward ewes 10s 2d. rape lambs 9s 3d. ordinary land*.. 4s 7d to 7s. Wairarapa. — Forward bullocks £7 10s to £7 12s, two and a-half year steers £5 10s to £5 19s, fat and forward cows £5 12s to £5 18s, emptv cows £4 to £4 2s 6d. light f.-!t cows £4 7s 6d, two-tooth wethers 10s lOd to 13s Bd, sound breeding ewes 10s lOd to Us sd. forward ewes 9s 6d to 10s 6d, aged j ewes 6s 3d to 8.-- 6d, mixed lambs 6s lid, good woolly lambs 9s 6d. ■ Kkotah una.—Good f.m. e\ve s 8s Id to 10s 7d. poorer sorts 9d 1o ss. two, four, and six-tooth ewes 3d to 12s Id, two tooth ■ ewes 10s to lO.s 9.1. black-faced lambs 5s 6d to 8.- Id, mixed cull lambs 2,-s 6d to 5s Id. : two-tooth wether-; 12s to 13s, heifers in calf ] £3 2s 6d t<> £3 10s, emptv heifers £2 17s, voung steers £4 10s to £4 12s, store cows I £4 17s 6d to £5 5s yearling steers £2 Is ■ to £2 19s. Levin.—Fat ewes sold up to Us, small : lambs 4s 9d to ss. fat cows £4 lO.s to £5 I 12s. two-year steers £3 12s 6d, three-year steers £4 Us to £4 13s 6d. 18-month steers ; £2 8s to £3 4s 6d. 15-month steers to £2 B=. S 18-month heifers £2 to £3 Bs. forward cows I £4 10s, empty store cows to £3 14s 6d, cows in calf to £4 ss. mixed weaners up to £1 7s, two-toth ewes 13s lid, two, four, and six-tooth ewes 6d. sound-mouth ewes 9s 3d to 10s 6d. aged ewes 5s 8d to 8s 9d, good lambs 8s 9d to 9s 4d.

Fcildmg.—Medium lambs 6s lOd, others 7s 7d, mixed aw! owes Bs, otliers to 9s 3d, good (mixed ages) ewes lis 9d, fat ewes 12s 9d, wethers 13s, mixed weaners to £1 17s, small weaner steers £1 Is, better sorts up to £2 4s 6d, Jersey-cross heifers £2 2s 6d, others (in pink of condition and good) £2 17s, 18-month steers £3 7s 6d, fat s-peyed heifers (light) £4 9s, light fat cows £4 5s to £4 lis, store cows £2 ss, heifers in calf to £5 4s. Rangitikei.— Rape lambs 9s 4d. mixed lambs 7s 7d to &s id', wether lambs 6s 9d to 7s sd, cull lambs 4s 4d to 4s 7d, fourtooth ewes 13s 5d to 14s 4d, four and fiveyear ewea 10s to 10s 4d, cull ewes 3s to 4s 7d, f.f.m. wethers lie Bd, culls 8s Bd, two-tooth wethers 13s 3d to 13s 7d, small two-tooth wethers lis lOd, forward ewes 10s 6d to lis 9d, fat ewes 13s 7d, fat, wethers 15s 3d, Hunterville. —Ewes are in good demand. Mixed lambs 7s to Bs, wether lambs 7s sd, cull lambs ss, mixed aged ewes to e.m. 10s to lis 3d, poor-conditioned ewes, 7s to 9i3 9d, s.m. owes to 6s 3d, cull ewes 4s Id to 4s 9d. Cattle—Two-year steers £4 19s, three-year steers £5 9s 6d', heifers in calf £4 15s, fat cows £4 19s, yearling dairy heifers £3. Main Trunk. Taihape.—lf anything, prices at' recent sales were ir favour of buyers. Sheep—Two-tooth wethers 12s 6d to 13s 6d. two-tooth ewes 12s to 13», good mixed lambs 8s 3d, f.f.m. ewes 7s to 8s 6d, cull ewes to ss. fat and forward ewes 10s 7d, cull lambs to 5s Wanganui ana West Coast. —Sheep were in better demand, and nearly all quitted under the hammer. Forward wethers 13s 6d to 14s, good two-tooth wethers 13s Bd, cull wethers Bs, rough wethers 10s Id, two-tooth wethers 12s 3d, twotooth ewes to 12s, small two-tooth ewes 10s 3d, sound f.ni. ewes 8s 6d to 9s 9d, poor ewes; 6s to 7s 6d, cull ewes 4s 6d to ss, f.m ewes in lamb 8s 7d to 9s, good 'ambe 8s sd, medium lambs 6s Id to 7s 6d, cull lambs 2s 7d to 3s 6d. Cattle—Medium fat cows £5 to £5 12s, good forward cows £4 10s to £4 13s. store cows £3 to £4 Is, poor store cows £2 10s, cows with calves nt foot £4 19s, three-year steers £5 10s two-year steers £3 19s to £4 2s, good wearier heifers £1 15s, good weaners (mixed) £1 10s to £1 12s 6d, small weaners (mixed) vealers £1 Is, bulls £2 10s to £4 ss. Pigs sold freely. Choppers £2 6s 6d to £2 10s, baconers £2 Is, best porkers £1 6s 6d to £1 10s, medium porkers £1 ss, good' stores 14s 6d to 19s. slips 13s to 15s 6d, weaners 7s to 9s. I hove heard of private offers for dairy herds of £lO per head aH lound. Taranaki. —Dairy cows in milk £7 to £lO ss, 18-month (in calf) Jersey heifers £3 17s 6d to £4 17s Bd, Jersey weaner heifers £2 ss, ordinary dairy cows £5 10s to £7 16s, aged cows £2 12s 6d to £3 15s, heifere in calf £5 to £5 10s. In the grazing district.) store cows fetch £2 to £2 10s, f.m. ewes 5s 9d. Mr Newton King reports having sold privately a goodly number of cattle and fnt sheep. Fat ewes 12s 6d, fat wethers 13s 6d, lambs 6s 3d to 8s 9d. Cattle —Best mixed weaners £1 5s to £2 ss-, store and forward cowe £4 5s 3d, two and : a-half year (in calf) heifers to £4 17s 6d, I three and a-half year bullocks £6 17s 6d, I fat cows £4 17s 6d to £5 17s 6d, 20-month I (empty) heifers £3 5s to £3 10s, 20-month 1 (in calf) heifers £3 15s. Wellington.—The equipoise of fat stock \ prices for the month, according to quality ! .and weight, of animals, were well main- ; lained, so that the closing sales need only i bo recorded. Prime bullocks £9 10s to £9 ' 12s 6d, lighter £9 2s 6d to £9 ss, light £8 ! 10s to £8 15s, prime heavy wethers 18s, I prime wethers 17s sd, medium to lighter | 15s 6d to 15s 10(1. prime ewes 14s 10d', medium 12s 9d to 13s 6d, plain lis 4d to ! 12s, prime lambs 13s to 14s, medium 12s, 1 shorn lambs 10s 3d. I' In the Auckland produce market oats aro in good demand, realising 2s lOd ox store. ; Wheat is firm at 4s 4<T ex store. Bran is ! -toady with Gales at £5 10s ox store. Pollard sales are firm at £7 10s ox store. I Chaff from the south is in good demand l at £5 12s 6d ox store. For choice butter Hid is obtained, with first grade separator i at lid. second grade 103 d, with lince for i milling purposes at 10(1 fo 10jd. The Loan and Mercantile Agency Com- ; pany report hides, skins, and tallow as ! meeting with keen competition From a newspaper just received from I Colae. in the western district of Victoria, ' I subjoin a few stock sale quotations. By 1 the way, I may add that this famous agricultural and pasttral district contains a largo number of settlers of Scotch descent. Light fat bullocks fetch up to £8 17s 6d, the average being £7 Bs 6d: prime cows to £7 12s, averaging £6 17s; store cows £2 10s to'£3 7s, three-year steers £5 5s to £3 15s, two-year lioifers £2 10s to £3 ss, dairy cows and' milking heifers £6 to £6 i 14s next quality £5 fo £5 10*. springing heifers £4 to £5 15s. Sheep-Fat "ethers 12s 2d to 16s 6d. fat crossbred ewes 14s 9U, merino wethers 9s, 6d. fat lamb* 10s 2d to 12* 3d. store six-tooth crossbred owes lis 3,1 old ewes 3s to Bs, lines of Shropshire I cross lambs of 404, 127, etc., 5s 10,1 to Bs.