CANTERBURY MARKETS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVIII, Issue 17, 20 August 1886, Page 13

CANTERBURY MARKETS.

Messrs. Matson, Cox and Co. report upon the Live Stock Market for the Ashburton district for the week ending August 10 as follows :—: — On Tuesday, at the Ashborton Yards, we held our usual sale of sheep, cattle and pigs. The entry for the day was a small one, especially in fat sheep, two pens only coming forward, and these were yety medium quality. In stores there were two or three lines of crossbred and merino ewes, and one line of very good three-quarter-bred ewes in lamb, which realised 8s 6d. Crossbred lambs were poorly represented, and owing to the very wet weather of last week looked in miserable condition. The attendance throughout the sale was poor, and bidding very slack. Tn fat cattle none came forward, and in stores only a few BpriDgers and cows in profit. The prices realised were — For crossbred ewes in lamb, 03, 6s to 8s 6d ; mixed crossbred ewes and wethers, 4s; crossbred lambs in poor condition, 4s ; in cattle, springers £3 17s 6d, £2 17s 6d, £5 2s 6d, £6 5s and £7 ; 18-month heifers, 18s. The Executors of the late Robert Wilkin report :— Since our last report, the weather has continued wet and stormy. The effect on all descriptious of live stock has been anything but beneficial. Notwithstanding this the Addington Yards were over-supplied with all lines of stock, though the quality as a rale was below the average standard. The total number of stock brought forward Cor the week's supply was as follows :— 4412 sheep, 438 head of cattle, and 147 pigs. Fat Cattle.— A full average number was brought forward, but as a rule there was a marked want of quality, anything like prime being exceptional. Best steers sold at from £7 to £9 ; heifers, from £6 to j £7 10s, and as low as £4 5s for inferior. Best quality beef made equal to pbout 22s per 1001 b; medium and inferior, 16s upwards. Store Cattle. — A better yarding than for some weeks past, and a little better enquiry. A few good four-year-old bullock? made a shade over £6, and good three-year-olds from £4 12s 6d ; heifers, dull of sale, as also were dairy stock. Fat Sheep. — Though not so numerous as the previons week, there were more brought forward 1 than required. Really prime quality wethers were scarce, and anything fit for freezing commanded good prices. Best crossbred wethers sold from 14s 6d to 16s ; medium, 103 6d upwards ; inferior, 8s upwards ; best merino wethers, from 9s to 10s 6d ; crossbred ewes, from 103 to 13s. Pigs— A small supply, which ruled at about last week's quotations. Sheepskins, Hides, Fat, and Tallow— Out entry, though a small one, was eagerly competed for by the usual gathering of the trade. Owing to the bad state of the weather, butchers' ekina came to hand in a very wet, and in some instances very dirty, condition, which certainly did not enhance their value. Consequently prices were, on the whole, a shade easier than last week. For good Hues top values were maintained, one very good and heaty lot realising, for crossbreds, 5a Id, and merinos up to 4s 3d, Only a few country skins came forward, and were bought up at market rates. Fat, tallow, ard hide's were all cleared at late quotations, with little prospect of pny alteration in prices. We sold butchers' crossbreds at 3s, 3s 3d, 3s 6d, 4s, 4s 3d, 4s 4d, 4s 7d, 4s Bd, to 5s Id; ditto merino, 2a 9d, 3s, 3s 3d, 3s 6d, 3s 9d, 4s, 4s Id, 4s 2d, 4s 3d ; country skins, as per quality, Is to 3s 6d ; rough fat and tallow, £d to l£d per lb. ; hides and calfskins at late quotations.