COMMERCIAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1401, 10 December 1884, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Ashburton Guardian Office, Wednesday af ernoon. Mr E. G. Staveley (for the New Z aland Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited), reports on the Ashburton live stoc < market under date December 9th Sheep— The largest entry this season was presented to buyers, who mus-crcd in force, and sustained competition throughout, especially for stores. Some pebs of fat sheep a d a few lots of stores did not arrive at owners’ valuations and were turned out unsold, hut a cousidciahle amount of trade was done at our quota ions. Fat mixed c ossbreos, 13s 6d ; do ewes, lis yd; forward merino wethers, in the wool, 10s yd; shorn crossbied hoggets, 10s 2d and iis 8d ; mixed ages, shorn, x2s 6d ; shorn ewes (mixed) with good percentage iambs, 12s 3d ; wooll merino e\v,es, with 65 per cent lambs, lisßd; woolly crossbred ewes, with iod percent lambs, 17s fid. Pigs—The few on offer sold readily at current rates. Cattle.—A moderate number yarded, the majority being indifferent sorts and difficult to place. Fat cows, L 4 10s to LS 2s fid ; dry cows, L 3 15s ; dry heifers in good condition, L 3 2s fid to L 4 Ks ; young sorts, 57s fid. Messrs Matson, Cox and Co. report upon the live stock market for the Ashburton district for the week end ng i ecember 9th as follows : On Tuesday at the Ashburton Yards we held our usual weekly sa'e of sheep, cattle, and pigs. The atten ance of farmers and others was moderate, but the bidding throughout the sale, especially in f t sheep, was very dragging. In fat sheep there was more than sufficient for the local butchers, and several pens were turned out unsold. In stores there was a large entry of crossbred hoggets, merino ewes and lambs, and merino wethers, mo t of which were sol *at satisfactory prices. J n pigs and cattle there was a small entry, but competition was not nearly so good as at the last T. inwald sale. We quote mutton at 2>/d per lb ; - beef, xfis to _ 17s per 100'b?. We sold ‘at crossbred shorn sheep at 12s fid and 13s fid; merino wethers in the wool, us 3d. In stores crossbred 4-tooth mixed ewes and wethers, 12s fid,-41s Bd, i';s; crossbred ewes and lambs, shorn, 12s 2d; merino ewes and lambs, us Bd, 10s 2d, 9s fid merino wethers, 9s fid. Pigs; weaners, xos fid. C:ttle: 3 fat steers and heifers. L 4 12s fid ; cows in profit, L 3 15s We also sold privately during the week 828 crossbred shorn hoggets at 12s.