STOCKS NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6131, 18 March 1898, Page 3

STOCKS NOTES.

[By Tussocs in "CAirrEßßUßYr Tiaras I .?] The extensions to the ChristehurehiMeat Company's Timarn work 3 ,, '"Smithfield," are to be formally opened ! on- Saturday. The Amuri Sheep Fair last Friday was more successful than was anticipated, though those conversant with the position of most farmers as regards stocks of sheep were prepared to see a good demand for grazingdines — the country' was never so bare of wethers as at present. All classes of sheep met a good demand, and an almost complete clearance was made, 94,859 being sold out of-tHe 105,140 yarded. The various auctioneers' lots were as follow:—

Total entered 105,140 sold 94,859 Several lots- that were entered did not come into the yard. Without? exception, I believe, the sheep sold at Cultrerden went entirely out of the market. The few lots bought by dealers were understood to be in fulfilment of commissions? An unusual element was the purchase of 1 several lines of merinoes for restocking the country which was devastated by the snow of last winter. Thus Mr M'Artliur, of St James's, was a buyer instead of a seller, and Mr Duncan Rutherford required- all his Leslie Hills cast to restock Glynn Wye, where 8000 sheep were lost last winter. Large purchases of both half-breds and merinoes were made for stocking the subdivided Horslev Downs country, and farmers from Cheviot, Ashburton, the Peninsula and the norther©' districts bought freely, and •many of them had to go away unsatisfied. The advantages of buying their breeding and grazing sheep at first hand are becoming recognised by^ farmers, and no doubt the Amuriand similar fairs will become of even greater importance than at present in the sheep trade. Condition has to be considered in comparing this year's and last year's prices. The following, however, afford a fair comparison, this year's price being placed first: — Montroße half-bred wethers 10s — 10s 3d, ewes 9s 6d— lls ; Kaiwarra soundinouthed merino ewes 3s Bd— 3s 8d; Clarence do 3s Id— 2s 6d to 3s ; Parnassus do 3s lid— s3 Id to os 3d. Tile yards at Culverden are utterly inadeqitate to the business done there. They are as inconvenient for sellers, buyers, and stock as can well be ; it is really unsafe to get about from pen to pen, and impossible to see the sheep properly. Considering the j revenue, the directors must make very substantial improvements. At last week's sales lines of thousands of sheep were represented by a sample of a score or two crowded into a small pen. The samples ; are no doubt carefully cut by the secretary and his assistants, but in several cases on Friday they were much against the seller. The Otekaike sale last week, though clashing with Culverden, was well attended, and the sheep fetched good prices, considering that they were very bare, being machine shorn, and that late in the season. As at the Auiuri sale, most of the sheep to graziers and farmers, the majority of those bought by dealers being resold before delivery. Several important sales of Shire horses took place in England in January, Major Shuttleworth's entire stud of sixteen averaged .£63 7s 9d ; Mr J. P. Cross's, .£B2 7s 5d (340gs and 300gs for mares) ; Messrs W. and J. Thompson's,ieil3 16s 9d (mares 550gs, 300gs, 250gs and a yearling filly 200gs) ; the late Mr J. A, Barrs, sixty-one head, .£l4l 15s 8d (stallions 960gs, 710gs, 4Gogs, 450gs, 36Ogs, &0., two-year-old colts to 400gs, &o.). There is evidently great vitality in the Shire horse market in England..

Pyne and Co. entered 31,168 sold 25,218 Dalgel? and Co. „ 25,316 „ 24,356 P. C.Tabart „ 26,038 „ 22,938 N.Z. 1., and M. A Co. „ 15,263 „ 15,263 H. MatsonandCo. „ 7095 „ 7095