COMMERCIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3365, 3 November 1911, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

MATAWHERO STOCK SALES

THE MARKET MUCH STEADIER

The weather could not have been better than it was for the Matawhero stock sales yesterday. There was a very good attendance of bidders, and the sales throughout were characterised by an encouraging tenor. Cattle and sheep alike were in a better position than they have been for some weeks, and the market is considered by those in a position to judge correctly to bo steadying. The Yarding. As is to be expected at this time of the year, when pastoralists are busy shearing, the yarding was much smaller than that of the two previous sales. On October sth the entries totalled 14,290, and the following table gives the relative position of the last two sales: — Oct. 19. Yesterday.

| Total ... ... 13,232 5,705 Fat Sheep. There appears to be no dearth of fat sheep, and iirices are by no means declining. The entry yesterday included some good lines of mutton sheep, and sales took place as under: —36 ewes 14s 3d. 22 ewes 13s lOd, 76 ewes 14s 6d, 53 ewes 14s 7d, 11 ewes 13s, 32 ewes 14s, 53 ewes 12s 6d, 1 wether 17s 6d. A line of 194 wethers passed in at 17s, and a line of 97 ewes at 11s. Store Sheep. The. attendance of farmers intent on buying on a large scale was somewhat smaller than at some of the recent sales, and there was a consequent suggestion of dullness in the proceedings. When the current prices for wool are considered it must be admitted that in some directions the market has been inflated, and yesterday gave promise that the market would settle before long, and there is every indication that a steady market will be assured at an early date. Hoggets met with more or less the best competition of anything yarded, and what are to be considered satisfactory prices lyere offered for good lines. The yarding, however, included several pens of indifferent lines, and this caused the prices all round to appear less promising than those that have been ruling. The most important transaction in this class was the sale of 788 mixed hoggets from Messrs. Smith Bros.’ station to Messrs. Hutchinson Bros, at 13s 2d. A further big line of 645, offered on account of Mr. G. Witters, was withdrawn at 12s, and three pens comprising 415 good-looking hoggets found a buyer in Mr. M. Maxwell at 12s. The sales also included the following:—34 at 10s 6d to Mr. AVatt, 41 at 13s to Mr. Baird, 25 at 8s to Mr. AVatt, 42 at 13s 6d, 48 at 10s .to Mr. J. Eusseli, and 33 at 9s 9d. Ewes with lambs at foot were well represented in the yards, and sold very well. The season’s lambs are now coming on very well, and large numbers should be coming forward to meet the trade demand at an early date. The top price given yesterday was 14s 6d, at which figure Air. AV. S. Stevenson secured a line of 240 ewes with 246 lambs. Other lines sold as follow: — IGS ewes with 162 lambs 12s Gd, 12 ewes with 12 lambs 13s 3d, 11 ewes with 13 lambs 11s 6d, 126 shorn ewes with 114 lambs, 10s ,6d. Lines were passed in as follow: —13 ewes with 31 lambs at 11s, 60 ewes with 68 lambs 16s 3d, and 150 ewes with 153 lambs at 12s 6d. Dry ewes were in a few instances responsible for an occasional spell of good bidding, but the yarding taken generally was inclined to be inferior. Sales took I place as under:—6o at 9s 3d to Mr. H. E. Kent, 67 at 5s 3d, 58 2 and 4-tooths 15s Id, 95 2,4, and G-tooths 15s Id, 108 at 10s 6d to Air. J. B. Poynter, and 25 at 9s 9d. There was only a small entry of wethers, and the best price obtained was 16s 6d, at which figure Air. Ewen Cameron purchased* a line of 177. The only other sale was a pen of 11, sold at 14s 6d, and lines were passed in as follow: —261 at 15s and 598 at 16s. Fat Cattle. 1 The scarcity of fat cattle caused some keen competition in this department, and resulted in prices being inflated, one pen of 6 bullocks realising £8 6s. Other sales were as follows: —1 cow £4 ss, 5 cows £5, , G cows £5, 2 cows £4 7s Gd. J Store Cattle, i Business around the cattle pens was equally promising, and most of the lines disposed of realised their full value. Lots of two or three beasts were frequently offered,, but the more important sales were as follow: —15 bullocks £5 12s 6d to Mr. : E. M. Hutchinson, 29 bullocks £5 5s to the same buyer, 64 young cows £4 to Air. A. B. Newman, 22 steers £5 to Air. E. M. Hutchinson, 22 mixed yearlings £2 10s, 36 steers £3 10s, 19 steers £3 10s to Messrs. Hen sen and Green, 2 steers £4 12s 6d to Mr. E. Hall, 15 heifers £3 5s to Mr. , Eield, 7 steers £2 11s to Mr. Clark, 7 | steers £4 to Air. K. Boyd, jun., 19 heifers £2 17s Gd to Mr. Robinson, 12 heifers £3 to the same buyer, 15 mixed weaners £2 12s Gd, and 3 steers £2 16s 6d. Pedigree Bulls. On account of Mr. Hugh Binnie, of Makauri, Messrs. Williams and Kettle offered? a number of purebred Jersey bulls, which, however, were only responsible for indifferent bidding. The first animal, Congleton, by Gondolier —Daphne. was secured by Mr. Dever at £B, and the only other sale at auction was Sonny, by Sungod—Lady, knocked down at £8 to Airs. Beau toy. The remaining bulls, all of which failed to reach the reserve, were as follow: —Sol, by Sungod—Lady; Jerry, by Morris’ Pride —Nancy; Sunlight, by (Sungod—Daphne 11. ; Milord, by -Jerry—Milly. Pigs. The entry was somewhat larger than usual, and a good demand for good sorts was evident. The prices realised were as follows: —18 weaners 7s, 2 bacon pigs 37s 6d, 6 . poi-lcers 255, 2 bacon pigs 395, 9 weaners 12s. 1 sow and 4 weaners 325, 1 bacon pig £2, 1 sow 19s, 5 weaners 9s. Warner’s Rust-proof Corsets never fail j to improve the figure.* j 1

Fat cattle 30 35 Store cattle ... 700 750 Fat sheep 500 350 Store sheep ... ... 12,000 7,500 Figs 2 70