COMMERCIAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 201, 26 November 1880, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Ashburton Retail List.

Butter, inferior to best, lb, fid to Bd. Eggs, dozen, is._ Cheese, prime quality, lb, 6d to Bd. Bacon, prime smoked, Ib, lod to is. Hams in cloth, lb, is 2d. Flour in bags, $ loolb, 13s. Oatmeal, 1? 251 b, 4s. Lard, lb, yd. Auctioneers’ Report. Messrs. H. Matson and Co. report on the Live Stock Market, etc., for the week ending Thursday, November 25th, ISBO, as follows : For yesterday’s sale at Addington yards 5,609 sheep, 412 head of cattle, and 68 pigs were yarded for the week’s supplies. These numbers show a falling off both in sheep and cattle compared with late markets, the deficiency yesterday being most apparent in mutton and store cattle. Owing to there being no sale the previous week there was a large mustering of the trade, and, although most of those present were buyers—clearing nearly every line of sheep —rates can only be quoted “steady,” with an absence of anything like keen competition or advanced prices. A line of splendid 4-f°oth wethers, the property of Mr. L. White, realised 10s fid to ns fid, averaging about lis 3d, but both for weight and quality these sheep were simply perfection. The general rates for average weight shorn crossbreds ruled from 8s fid to 10s ; merinos, 6s fid to 7s fid. Store sheep made a proportionately large entry, and were all sold at satisfactory and well-maintained prices. A line of 800 long-woolled 2-tooths averaged 12s per head. 120 mixed 2-tooths (shorn) 8s fid ; 143 merino wethers, 4s 3d ; 432 merino ewes, 6s 8d ; 368 merino wethers, 4s ; and several small lines at equal rates. There was a very large supply of fat lambs, all of which were sold at slightly reduced values, 6s to Ss per head for the best pens, scrubbers 4s to Ss. The fat cattle sale may be described as being very dull, irregular, and unsatisfactory. There was a large supply, including one or two draughts of heavy weight prime cattle from South Canterbury, with which the sale was opened. Considering the warm weather, these were altogether too heavy for the requirements of the trade, and sold at absurdly low values. As the auction, however, progressed, competition improved, and towards the middle and close of the sale medium weight nice quality cattle were placed ■at rates representing the average of the past month. For the few stores yarded there was no difficulty in securing buyers, prices remaining unchanged. Dairy cows were dull of sale. Our entries for the day comprised 2,665 sheep, 438 fat lambs, 202 head of cattle, and 30 pigs, for Messrs. Gouid and Cameron. In sheep our sales were at good pric. s, as also were those of cattle. Owing to the v ar.n weather, fat pigs are not so much enquired after, and prices show a considerable decline. Stores better maintain late rates.

Country Sales.—On Tuesday at Tinwald Yards, we held our usual fortnightly sale of live stock, etc., etc. There was only a small attendance, but evidently the few people present were buyers, as we succeeded in disposing of the whole of our entry, consisting of 176 head of cattle and 1,400 sheep, at full market rates, shorn sheep realising from 8s fid to 9s gd each ; crossbred ewes, in wool, with lambs at foot, 11s 3d each; merino ewes, sound mouth, shorn, 4s each. Calves, from 15s to L2 25 per head; yearling, 39s to L2 15s; fifteen months old cattle, L2 10s to L 3 I os; two years old, L 3 toL4 15s ; three years old, L 4 to L 5 12s fid ; milk cows, from L 4 10s to L 8 12s fid ; springers, L 5 to L 7 2s fid.