Commercial Intelligence.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 3278, 30 March 1885, Page 2

Commercial Intelligence.

Timaru Herald Office, Saturday Evening. AUCTIONEERS' REPORTS. Messrs Jonas and Bourn report for the past week as follows : — Considerable activity prevails m the live stock market, both Bheep and cattle of all descriptions finding ready buyers at all their sales. Early m the week they placed a line of 3172 crossbred two-tooth wethers at 10s 9d to a southern buyer, and also a smaller line of merino ewes at 5s 6d. At the Washdyke saleyards on Tuesday they had a bnsy day, there being a considerable entry of stock and a good attendance of buyers ; a better businoss, indeed, was done all through the yards than for some time past. Notwithstanding 1 the large number of entries, the facilities for drafting and penning stock of every description were such as to evoke warm praise from both buyers and sollers. They submitted and sold 60 full-mouth merino sheep at 4s and 368 full and broken merino ewes at 3s, 352 half-bred lambs at 7s, 188 Southdown lambs at 7s Cd, 128 half and three-quarter-bred ewes at 9s 106 and 126 at 10s, 48 wether hoggets at 11s and 106 fat crossbred wethers at 12s 9d. The result of these sales effectually prove that the better class of sheep are worth fully from 3d to 6d more than they were a week or ten days ago. In cattle at this sale there was a fair lot of medium to good fat, 10 head selling at up to J27. Forward steers sold at up to £5, heifers from .£3 10s to £5 12s 6d, store cows brought from £2 to .£3 according to age and condition, springing hoifei'3 sold at from £3 to £i for ordinary sorts, well-bred and quiet ones to £7 10s and £8, 10 small calves went at lls, and a small mob of steers and heifers at £2 7s 6d. On Monday they held a clearing sale of furniture m their rooms, when there was a good attendance. The lot offered included several suites, piano, and a nice assortment of handsome and nseful furniture, and the whole wei-o cleared out at prices quite np to vendors' expectations. At Waimate on Wednesday they held a clearing sale of a baker's stock-in-trade and furniture. This, sale also passed off very successfully, excellent prices being realised. Messrs Maclean and Stewart report for the past week as follows, viz. : — Horses — Thirty-eight horses were to-day entered at their yards for sale, comprising unbroken draught colts and fillies, modmni draughts and a few ordinary hacks. They have to report a quiet demand and prices easy. Six unbroken fillies and colts wore sold at from £G to .£l9 10s, making an average of .£lO per head ; medium draughts wero sold at from £11 to =£14 ; hacks, .£8 to ,£lO. Sheep — Their usual fortnightly sale at their "Washdyko free yards was held last Tnesday, when a large entry of store sheep was booked for sale. 'They have to report a good attendance of buyers, and are glad to say an upward tendency m prices and an increased demand was exhibited. Total yarded for sale, 6650 sheep of various classes, of which they sold as follows : — BOO full-mouth merino ewes at 4s 6d, 1500 do at 4s 3d, 300 do at 4s ; 1250 merino wethers privately after auction sale, at a satisfactory price ; 60 crossbred ewos at 7a Bd, 200 cull merino ewes at 2s, 370 2, 4 and 6-tootb. crossbred ewes at 10s 9d, 200 merino wethers at 5s Bd, 150 crossbred ewes at 9a, 150 crossbred lambs at 8s 2d, 70 merino ewes and wothera at from 4s 4d to 7s — making a total of over 5000 sheep they disposed of. Privately during the week they have placed a nice line of 300 crossbred hoggets at a good price. Fat sheep are plentiful at prices a shade under 2d per lb. They sold several small lots at last Washdyke sale at the above price, and private sales have been made of about 500 crossbred and merino wethers at that quotation. Stud rams — They placed privately 18 Leicester rams at good values. Cattle — About 150 head cattle were yarded for sale last Tuesday at the Washdyke, and a better demand was displayed. Good steers brought ££ sa, yearlings 14s np to 15s, cows and heifers <£3 10s to ,£6, calves at 13s. Fat cattle — Present values bring about 17s 6d per 1001 b. Clearing Sale— On Thursday, the 26th inst., m the matter of Messrs Rodgerson and Patterson, farmers, Totara Valley, they (m conjunction with Messrs Fleming and Hodley) hold a clearing sale of the freehold property, farming stock and plant. They have to report that seldom have they seen so largo an attendance at a country sale, there being at one time close on about 200 people present, and a ploasant neighborly feeling was strongly exhibited towards the vendors. It is needless for them to state that everything offered for sale was all of a first-class character, and from the prices theyrealised.and the general splondid appearance of the property, show that m spite of dull times farming, when m the hands of experienced and practical men, is a most profitable business. The farm at the homest'' , consisting of about 825 aorea, is situß>' rPr' head of the Totara Valley, axx* "° ** the _ exception one of the choio*-' •• i s wlt "° ut Zealand, the whole boir- - f c spots m New and nearly all dow- . d nch limestone land, growth and qu&l : ' •» English grass, the This started s ' "-y of which is not otten seen, read th«> • "Qe salo. The auctioneer having whi'- 1 - conditions of sale, called for an offor, r ' ,a was speedily obtained, and ran up to ,*8 5s per acre. One shilling bids thon were I taken, and after a spirited competition was knocked down to Mr Patterson at £8 10s per acre, who was most warmly congratulated on his purchase, and they venture to say it conld not have fallen into better hands. The other block of 250 acreß, about two miles to the west, was then offered. This block is also of the same rich nature, and was sold to Mr Rodgerson at a bonus of ,£5 m addition to the purchase money paid and due to the Levels Estate, from which it was recently purchased. Mr Rodgerson has also secured a very choice freehold. The stock waa the next m order o the sale. The first lot to offor was a beautiful line of 820 4 and 6-tooth crossbred ewes, which fell to Mr E. P. Sealey's bid at 123 ; the same purchaser also secured the next lot of 410 2-tooth crossbred ewes at lls 2d. 860 crossbred lambs brought 7s 6d, 1150 merino ewes at 6s 9d, 760 merino wethers at 4s 3d, 119 mixed sheep at 33 9d, 30 cull lambs at 3s, 8 long-woolled rams at from 1 to 3£ guineas. Total sheep sold, 4157. Two pedigree Ayrshire cows brought 10£ guinoaa each ; bull by " Teviot," 8 guineas ; 2 heifers and 1 cow, from 1? guineas to 4V guineas.^ A very nice lot of draught mares and geldings were then offered, and these, they need not say, wero all of the right stamp, 12 of which were sold at prices ranging from ,£l2 to .£27, making an average of nearly .£2O each ; 3 foals brought £5 to ,£5 10a each. Thirty-six pigs brought from lls to £1 153. Implements— Threshing mill and engine brought .£200 ; Hornsby roaper and binder, new last season, ,£3O ; chaffeutter, JCIO ; disc harrows, £8; grass stripper, ,£7; dray, .£10; and a numbor of smallor implements at good values, which closed one of the most satisfactory sales hold by the auctioneers. Mr Fleming, on bohalf of tho vendors, with a few woll-ehoson remarks, then thanked thoso present for their attendance, for their spirited bidding, and for the kindly feeling shown by all throughout the sale.