The Ashburton Guardian. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1881. The Saleyards.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 276, 23 February 1881, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1881. The Saleyards.

TOWN EDITION. [lssued at 5 p.m.]

Farmers as a class are not men readily driven about by every wind ot doctrine political, theological, or social —they are rather slow in their movements, and not easily stirred up to action, either for or against any important change. At the same time when it is demonstrated to them that a decided improvement on their own condition can be made, and they begin to realise the truth of what is shown to them, they usually make for the direction indicated ; but, as we said before, they do not readily move at every sound, and it requires a good few bell wethers to lead the whole flock. For a long time the custom with the farmers on these plains was to devote their almost whole attention to cropping, and as a result very little stock, for the area of land under cultivation, was raised. Now, however—thanks to the severe lessons of the past two or three seasons —the idea of cropping only is being steadily worked out, and farmers are learning that stock-raising is a necessary adjunct to profitable cropping. In proof of this we would point to what every one knows who moves about the county—that there is far more stock on the farms of the Ashburton to-day than there was three years ago, and the tendency is to increase. We are tempted to make these remarks by what has this week been brought under our notice in regard to the necessity for more frequent sales at the Ashburton yards. About this time of year farmers begin, to look out for stock for the winter, and as the most of them depend wholly on the monthly sales for their supply the importance of the saleyards will be at once recognised. Several cases have been mentioned to us in which large flocks have been brought into Ashburton from great distances, and, owing to the fact of the sales being only held once a month at the Ashburton saleyards, those flocks have either had to wait, be taken home, or be sent to Christchurch, while some have been sold privately without a public test of their value being obtained. Now, we contend that a fortnightly sale should be held at Ashburton, especially at this time of the year, feeling perfectly satisfied that enough business would be done to make the enterprise worth trying. It may be contended that, failing a sale in this town, Tinwald supplies one at her yards. We are aware of this, but it has to be remembered that the railway bridge is a great objection to many flockowners who look upon it as a sort of barrier to business, and decline to take their stock to a market that can only be reached by traversing the viaduct. We expect that the Tinwald people will not look favorably on the proposal for another sale in the month here, which we are now making; but they know full well that the river is a great geographical barrier between the two places, and it would not be the first time they have urged it in their own favor. However, we are not contending for a fortnightly sale at the Ashburton yards for any other reason than that we think, at this time of the year especially, it is very necessary, and would find business for itself without in any way trenching on the success of the Tinwald yards. It may be adduced that the Christchurch auctioneers would not care to come to Ashburton three days in the month. Well, perhaps not. We fancy, though, that they would. But in any case there are local men in plenty to do the work, and they would get their hands full enough. We commend the subject to whom it may concern, believing that in referring to it we are giving publicity to what are the wishes of a large number of those most interested in the buying and selling of stock.