COMMERCIAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume I, Issue 17, 4 November 1879, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Messrs J. T. Ford and Co. report on the live stock market for the week ending Friday, the 31st inst, as follows : The Addington Yards on Wednesday were fully supplied with fat and store cattle, and, for trade requirements over supplied with fat sheep. In fact we might say that it was with difficulty, and at considerable reduction in prices, that fat sheep were quitted at all. The trade were full up from outside and previous week’s purchases, .and declined to operate to any extent, and a drop of from Is to Is 6d per head on sheep was the consequence. Fat cattle sold freely at from 25s to 30s per lOOlbs, and store stock of all descriptions were in capital demand. In fact, store cattle have taken a decided rise, and as the feed is still bound to increase, we can Jook forward to some briskness in the store stock business for some months to come.

Stove sheep are also in good demand, especially half-breed Leicesters of mixed sexes. Good ewes, with a fair average per cenfc of lambs at foot, are also in good demand, and sell freely at from 8s Cd to 9s 6d the couple. Our entries were on account of Messrs Studholme, Coldstream, George Green, Holmes, R. Gibson, W. C. Webb, T. Sutherland, Thomas Sutton, J. Morgan, 1,. E. Corsbie, F. Tooth, Ingram, R B. Coward, J. L. Patrick, Linton, Linney, and others, quitting all our lines, except in one instance, at quotations equal to 2hd per lb for unshorn sheep, and lid per lb for shorn, and beef at from 25s to 30s per 100 lbs.

Mr Studholme’s cross-breds brought I's 3d. each ; Mr Morgan’s, at from 7s 3d n > to 134 each ", Mr Corabie's, at 11s each ; fat lambs, at 6s 01 each. A line of store cattle, on ac-mnt of Mr W. C. Webb, brought £4 each. A line on account of Mr Green, at £6 10s each. A line of young stock, on account of Mr James Holmes, brought £3 6s each, and springers brought from £6 to £8 10s each. During the week we have placed privately several mobs of store cattle, and inquiries fro -n the country are active both for cattle and sheep. At our wool and skin sale yesterday we had the usual attendance of buyers, and biddings were remarkably brisk throughout, best cross-bred skins bringing up to 4s 6d and 4s 7d, and best merino skins as high as 4s 8d each ; medium, for both tinman, from 3s 3d to 3s lOd each. Wool, in bag lots, sold at from s|d, and up to 6d per lb. ■ We sold during the week our hides—--147 I—for1 —for shipment, at 3d per lb all round. Bough fat brought 2|d per lb, and tallow 2|d per lb. At our horse. Bale on Saturday we of■feted a good many lots, but the demand is by no means brisk, in fact it is a mystery to us how so many useless animals are live and cost their owners the weekly tolls of 2s 6d per head in the hope of quitting them, Good useful lam horses find havers, s* do f\ so good carriage stock, few