A MONSTER SALE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 792, 14 November 1882, Page 2

A MONSTER SALE.

In consequence of the dissolution of partnership between Messrs John Grigg and Thomas Russell, of the Long-

bead, estate, one of the largest sales of live and dead stock that has ever taken placein the colony commenced at the Longb ach homestead yesterday. The catalogue l affords a fair idea of the magnitude and importance of the sale. It is a nicely got up and well-bound volume of some 226 pages, containing as a frontispiece a lithograph portrait of that bovine celebrity, Oxford Duke of Cambridge the Second. There are no fewer than 1,54 S lots catalogued, in addition to a variety of implements and sundries too numerous to publish. Of course many visitors were expected from long distances for such a sale, and extensive preparations have bean made at Longbeach for their accommodation. Shake-downs occupy every available corner, and quite a little township of tents each furnished with stretchers and blankets, has sprung up The large implement shed, cleared of its contents, and tastefully decorated for the occasion, does duty as a banqueting hall where 500 guests can sit down to table at one time. Mr Morton, of Christchurch, as we have before stated, ia the caterer for the refreshments, and under his experiencsd eye the whole of the arrangements in connection with the satisfying of the inner man, or rather men, were carried out, the appearance of the table in the banqueting hall evoking a burst of admiration from the hungry guests. Indeed the eating arrangements are being carried out on a most liberal scale. The animals slaughtered for the occasion included six head of fat cattle, two calves, seventy-five sheep, twenty-six pigs, etc., and six hundred 41b loaves had bften baked ! The arrangements for meeting the express train were most complete, all sorts of vehicles being in waiting at Longbeach rail way station, and in addition to the vehicles from the homestead there was travelling accommodation forßo passengers provided by Mr Cookson, of Ashburton. The weather was rather against the attendance, but about 1 o’clock a large number of persona sat down to a most excellent lunch. Mr J. Grigg proposed the health of the Queen, which was drunk with the customary enthusiasm. The next toast (proposed by the Hon. W. Rolleston) was the health of Mr- John Giigg, which was drunk amid loud cheers. Mr John Grigg, in responding, expressed his thanks for the very hearty manner in which they had honored the toast of his health. He was pleased te see so many visitors, and could assure intending purchasers that the sale was a perfectly bona fide one. Any purchases he might make would be purely on his own account, and he did not suppose he should in any case buy more than twothirds of the stock. Mr Grigg went on to contrast the present flourishing appearance of Longbeach with that it presented a few years ago, when it was an impenetrable swamp, and wound up by referring to tha good that might result to the colony at large by the capitalist using his money [ insted of keeping it locked up. The speaker resumed his seat amidst loud and prolonged cheering. Mr John Matson, the officiating auctioneer, made a characteristically funny speech, but brief and to the point. Yesterday’s sale resulted thus Sheep ; 1,312 ewe hoggets at 11s fid and 12s, Manson; 1,029 wether hoggets at 12s, Manson ; 963 wethers at 16s 3d, 16s fid, and 16s9d, Manson; 1,798 crossbred ewes with lambs, at 17s 3d, C. Newton; 500 fat merino wethers at 9s, James Wallace, balance of lot T. M. Jones,, at 8s 9d. Station cattle : 444 head store heifers at L 3 ss, A. Grant; 50 store steers at L 3, Boyle ; 350 do at L 4 155,, Anderson ; 180 do at L 4 16s, Anderson ; 348 head yearling heifers and steers at L2 Is, A. Grant; 14 Hereford heifers at L 6 15s, Wallace ; 26 do at L 5 15s, Wallace ; 5 yearling heifers at L 7 17s fid, Stent ; 5 do at L 6 6s, Reynolds ; 47 do at L 5 15s fid, Reynolds ; 5 head two-year-old heifers at L 7 ss, Stent; 16 do at L 5, Standish; 20 station bred cows at L2O, Stent ; 10 do at Ll 5 10s, Reynolds ; 180 1 do at H2, Reynolds. Thu* it will be seen that a very satisfactory first day’s sale was experienced.