COMMERCIAL

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 88, 23 March 1931, Page 8

COMMERCIAL

TARANAKI STOCK MARKET

NEWTON KING’S REPORT

Messrs. Newton King;, Ltd., report as under for the week ended March 21. 1931:

No alteration in the prices ruling in the various sections has taken effect since our last report. Good entries of sheep have been submitted at our various sales during the week, but competition has been inclined to drag, especially for aged ewes, which is undoubtedly due to the fact that the majority of the “srifful men’s” requirements have been drawn from our earlier sales. Genuine four and five-year-old ewes are, however, hard to procure and keen interest continues for ewes of this age. Lambs continue to find good favour and are readily disposed of, espesially the better class. Wethers are not plentiful and the offerings of this class find a market at late rates. The yardings of cattle during the past week have consisted of fair entries of weaner Jersey heifers, supplemented by good entries of works cattle. Weauers of good quality and size are subject to keen competition to a point, but the small and poorer-bred sorts are dull of sale. Prices above schedule for the works cattle yarded have been noticeable at most centres, and intending sellers of this class cannot do better than yard their supplies. The inquiry for station cattle is dull, and little business can be reported of this class. Dairy heifers are offering in good numbers, and the inquiry from outside districts for the better class has shown an improvement during the week, but prices offering by prospective purchasers fall a Tittle short of those anticipated by holders; however, an appreciable view of the existing low values in other sections is taken by vendors, and generally speaking sales are made in keeping with buyers’ ideas of values, exemplifying that holders are prepared to meet the market where reasonable offers are forthcoming, and this has resulted in good business being transacted during the week. A review of the individual sections is as follows: The works schedule in tile beef section continues as follows; —Prime ox, 18s; second, 14s; prime cow, 12s (id. Requirements for local consumption are easily fulfilled and prices are a little in advance to the above-men-tioned, but owing to the larger portion of the butchers’ business being confined to the mutton section, supplies of beef are not readily absorbed

Freezing rates in the mutton section are on a par with last Sveek’s rates, i.e., woolly lambs, 4Jd up to SC’s; shorn, 4d; wethers, 8s (id to 9s; ewes approximately 4s Gd. Local butchers are absorbing good numbers at the fallowing rates,; Wethers, 9s (id to 10s Gd; ewes, Gs to 7s; while lambs are purchased at from, 11s. to 13s.

The offerings of store sheep have been reduced in numbers, and quotations of good young ewes are hard to find, consequently where genuine 4 and 5-year-old sheep and younger sorts are submitted, keen interest is displayed and ready sales are effected. An easing of prices offering for aged ewes is, however, noticeable, and failing-mouthed sorts are not easy to quit. Wethers are in fairly keen demand, with perhaps insufficient offering to meet the demand, and entries of this class are readily sold. A range of values of the classes offering is as follows: Genuine 4 and 5-year-old ewes, up to Ss Gd; sound-mouthed ewes, 5s to Gs; failing-mouthed sorts, 2s 9d to 4s; wethers, 7s. 8s; good conditioned lambs, Gs Gd to 7s; medium sorts, 5s Gd; culls, 3s Gd to 4s Cel. Business in the store cattle section for the most part confines itself to the yards, where the entries consist largely of works cattle, and these are absorbed at the following rates: Good meaty sorts up to £2 10s; boners, £1 5s to £1 15s; fair entries of weaner steers are also being submitted, but do not meet with a ready demand, and withdrawals are frequent, £1 to £1 7s Gd being (lie best offers for well-done sorts.

Outside inquiry for weaner heifers has been quite frequent, and good numbers have left the district although the volume of business conducted falls short of that done to this date in previous years, which is accountable to some extent to the fact that holders of in-calf heifers are not finding the early market for their supplies that has been in evidence in other years, and until a more ready market awaits in-calf cattle it is likely that the usual buyers of weaners on a large scale will refrain from selecting their requirements. The entries of this class submitted at our sales have Included a few topquality cattle, for which keen competition. lias been in evidence, and up to £2 14s has been obtained for good-quality faw.n cattle; however, from £2 5s to £2 10s seems to be, the figures offering for best sorts. Cross-bred cattle and light-conditiop-ed sorts are dull of sale, and from 20s to 20s is, the order for these. Pair numbers of sales of in-calf heifers of good quality have been effected during the week, Waikato buyers Slaving absorbed quite a good number. The majority of the holders of this class prefer not to have to winter their cattle, and many attractive lines are available in the vicinity of £7, and in a number of cases May delivery at this figure can be arranged. A few sales on a forwarddelivery basis have been effected at from £0 10s to £7 ss, for delivery from the end of May to the middle of June, the latter-mentioned figure being for well-done, good-quality cattle. Increased, inquiry is anticipated from now on, and provided quota-

tions are competitive with those ruling in other centres, business with outside buyers should be readily contracted. At our New Plymouth Haymarket sale on Friday, a full yarding of pigs was submitted, but the supply exceeded the demand and prices showed a decline; however, a full clearance was effected under the hammer at reduced rates. Stores in' good condition made from 19s. to 19s (id. slips, 14s to 15s; best weaners, 9s 6d to 10s Gd; medium sorts, 7s to 8s; small, 4s to 5s Gd. feildingTstock sale Messrs. Levin and Co., Ltd., report the following prices at FeUding sale on March 20, 1921: —Fat 7s to 8s lOd; fat 2-tooths, 13s; wether lambs, Ss 3d to 8s sd; others, 5s to Gs 7d; f. and f. wethers, 9s 8d to 10s; 2-tooth ewes, 13s Id; 4 to 5-year ewes, 8s 9d; stud S.D. ewes, Ign to lijgns; S.D. rams, IJgus to 35gns; Jersey weaner heifers, £2 ,18s to £3; fat cows, £1 12s Gd to £2 10s.