MARKET REPORTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5582, 4 June 1896, Page 2

MARKET REPORTS.

ADDINGTON. There were fair entries in most denf'rtments of stock at the Addington n m kdfc yesterday. The attendance of farmers and others was good, and business all through was fairly brisk. Complaints are made as ! to the amount of " trotting " indulged in by some of the auctioneers in the fat sheep sale. Salesmen in some, cases, apparently being unable to frame values, start lines at prices . which they cannot hope to reach,- and go oh calling outbids as if they had actually received them, and after- wasting time in the hope by this means of drawing a genuine bid, they are obliged to turn to the buyers and ask ithein to start the sheep. There is no objection whatever to auctioneers starting their pens out at something near the market values, as this; facilitates business; but the bad habit referred to; which, however, is only indulged in by a few of the salesmen, not only delays matters, but alsp has the effect of disgusting buyers and; disorganising the market.. Entries for the day comprised 10,48S sheep and lambs, 487 head of cattle and 475 pigs. y Fat Cattle. — The yarding of fat cattle ; was one of the largest seen for a long time, no less than 260 head coming ; forward. The bulk of the yarding were nice-quality, handy-weight sorts, suitable for local fleshers, a including a very nice line from Messrs Waghorn Brothers, of Little Akaloa, which showed the advantage of dehorning. In spite of the large entry bidding was brisk and no fall in values can be quoted, prime beef selling at from 18s to 20s per lOOlbs, and inferior to secondary at 13s to 17s • steers' brought from .£5 to .£lO, heifers .£4 12s 6d to .£8 ss, and cows £3 17s 6d to £7 ss.' Dairy Cattle. — An improvement was noticeable in the quality of the cows and springers on offer, and a very good sale resulted, best sorts being in demand at Irom £6 10s to £9 ss, and others selling at from £3 10 to .£6. Store Cattle. — A small yarding of stores was principally composed of dry . cows and weedy youngsters, and the busii ness done is scarcely worth quotins*. Fat Sheep. — The fat sheep pens were fully occupied with a very mixed entry, including more than the usual proportion of sheep fit for export. • The market opened well, but fluctuated very much throughout the sale, at times dragging con-, siderably, but, strange to* say,-. soma of the best sales of.- the day were made very close to the finish. Several buyers for export having contracts to fill made things lively, and caused heavyweight freezing wethers to sell very well, but the' lighter sorts did not meet such good inquiry. Prime maiden ewes and mixed sexes of the better sorts were also taken mi considerable numbers for export. Butchers' best heavy-weight young ewes also sold well, but those of uncertain ajres and inferior sorts were neglected, the trade preferring tho better classes, which were fairly plentiful. Prime heavy-weight cross-bred wethers brought from 16s to 17s 9d, best freezing weights 14s to 158 9d, do maiden owes 13s to 16s, and mixed sexes 12s 6d to 14s 6d, butchers' best heavy-weight ewes 12s 6d to 15s 3d, medium to good do 9s 6dto 12s, and lighter and inferior do 7s to 8s 6d, merino wethers 6s 6d to. lis 9d, and ewes 5s to 65.6 d. Fat Lambs.— Entries in this class. are becoming smaller every week> and the close of the f art lamb season is not far off. Prime sorts met good competition, both from exporters and the trade, selling at ■from 9s* 6d to 12s 9d. The . poorer sorts were neglected, bringing feoin 7s to 8s 9d. Store Sheep. — A medium entry of store sheep came to hand, " made up principally of lines for topping-off o_ turnips, and lambs. Turnip sheep were in great demand, and sold at very good figures. Ewes, whether in lamb or not, were not wanted, but lambs met slightly better competition all round.. Tlie top price for the day was obtained for an extra forward line of big-framed four and six-tooth cross-bred wethers, which sold at 13s Bd, ewes out of the same line, free' from lamb, selling at 9s 3d. A large line of rather leggy - looking four - tooth cross - bred wethers from tlie north sold atJ2s ld, some small half-bred wethers,, out of the same mob, bringing 9s Bd, and two-tooth ewes 7s 7d. A nice line of two-tooth crossbred wethers from the Peninsula changed hands at 12s and 123 ld, the culls selling at 10s sd. Other two and four-tooth cross-bred wethers brought 9s Bd, and twotooth do 9s 6d, mixed two-tooths 9s Sd, ewes in lamb 9s, aged ewes 5s 6d t© 6s 4d, merino wethers ss, merino ewes 2s Id, and cross-bred lamb* from 4s 4d to 6s for backward sorts, and from 7s 4d to 8s 3d for good, healthy lines. . Pigs.— The quality of the pigs fit for tho knife showed a slight improvement, and prime sorts brought 3|d per lb, medium kinds selling at 3d. Stores^ met a fair demand, and last week's prices were well maintained.