"A SHEEP A SHEEP"

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 163, 13 July 1933, Page 6

"A SHEEP A SHEEP"

EFFECT OF A “GLOW" YESTERDAY'S STOCK SALE. SIDELIGHTS FROM. THE RAIL. (By “Poseidon.” • “A sheep is a sheep again,” said a I farmer, battling for his “rail"’ position i beside a pen of nice lambs at yesterday’s stock sale. And he was right! There really is a keener demand for sheep these days. If that has not created definite optimism it has at least turned the farmer’s eyes to a glow on the horizon, and the farmer, looking at a glow, is a better sort of chap than anybodylooking at a black cloud. Never mind whether the glow is merely' a politician lighting a fire, and a banker and a stock agent fanning it. The glow is really there. For the moment the question of its permanency can he left to professors or economics, and know alls. Afeanwhile, every ounce of practical concentration can be directed Io ihe all-important fact that a. “a sheep is a sheep again.’’ “Lt’s just as well to he optimistic,” siad the auctioneer, introducing the pen of lambs. “ What am I bid for this line, right off the P»rnnswick country 1 ? \ ou might, as well be dead as pessimistic. What am f bid?” The line started somewhere round 15s and finished at 17s 9d. Tho Know-all: We’ll all be drowned in a flood of prosperity if this goes on. An Optimist: Thon you'll need a lifebelt. “Now then gentlemen, put your value on this lot of ewes,” said the auctioneer, when the battle for “rail’’ positions round the next pen had eased a little. “What am I bid?” A voice: Ten bob. The auctioneer: Ten hob? Your're old fashioned. This is a better line of sheep than in the pen we’ve just passed. The Know-all (aside >: 1 have it on good authority that the exchange is coming off ou Monday. Either by accident or design the line of sheep brought Ils Id. “It is time you got the Farmers’ Union stirred up about this wool levy,” said a breeder, as the move was made towards tho next pen. “But it means another board, doesn’t it?” asked his audience. “It might mean a levy, but what about getting something definite? By tjie way, what did Oineo pay at Trentham yesterday?” “I couldn’t say . . and the talk drifted off to a discussion, on the relative merits of jockeys, Roy Reed and Ashley Reed to be correct —one who “rode ’em easy’’ and the other who “used "the whip a bit and really rode ’em.” And the pen of sheep was knocked down to “the man in the brown hat” for 14s 3d, and somebody whispered that it was a cheap line. “Rutherford should have scored two tries in the first spell.]” came a note of conversation as the crowd moved to tho next pen. “I could have scored them myself. Taranaki should have been leading at. half-time.’’ “But Wellington was only trying them out.” »said a second voice. “Oh, absolutely. Tried them out and then walked all over them. What, do you think of the Wanganui team Io play Rangitikei?” “No good. Bullock-Douglas should have been in. It would have done a lot of these footballers good to have seen (be match at Hawera, to show them how football should be played.’’ “Oh, absolutely.” Tho Auctioneer: ’Eleven and a half and I’m going to sell ’em. I’ll take n penny if you like. Eleven a-half. The owner’s in Wellington, but I’m going to sell ’em. Eleven a-half. Right. To you.” . . . and the local butcher managed to raise a smile as he acknowledged his successful bid. “1 see the price of gold is going up,” was the scrap of information that came in between times as the crowd and auctioneer moved on. “But the Conference news isn’t too bright. Sheep arc up though. Jr doesn’t look as though the unemployed will be able to eat much mutton this year. T wonder how tho Police and Pi ess will get on with t heir appeal. They got £6OO last year, didn't they? I hope thev will do well. How are your turnips?” “Pretty good. I've got 1300 on them now.” And so the sale went on. the farmers conversing, the auctioneer cajoing. the buyers bidding, and tho vendors either whipping the cat or talking politics. The Conference might have been a failure; England might return to the j gold standard; (Jmeo might win another race soon; Crawford might be the tenuis champion for another season; body-line bowling might be forgot ten; the Meat .Board might use its reserves to help tho marketing of wool: Wanganui might boat Rangitikei ou Saturday for the Pownall trophy; the exchange might come off on Monday—these, ami a lot more things, are purely theoretical. Afeanwhile, there is a glow ou the horizon which might bo due to the ruddiness of tho Soviet, or the argumentativeness of Ireland, or even the rotundity and blandness of the Japanese, or yet again to the glitter ul gold; but coming away from the saleyards of to-day. where you can get down to something matter of fact, one is impressed with the absolute cer lainly of one thing— /f a sheoj* is a sheep again.’’ That is not theoretical, it is hard, practical fact. Is the glow on the horizon th(» same?