STOCK AND STATIONS.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 99, 29 June 1877, Page 2

STOCK AND STATIONS.

The weather for several weeks back has been very wintry, with a good deal of rain and most of the pasture land is at present very wet, some paddocks being covered with water. Under the circumstances no stock can be doing well unless provided with turnips, straw, hay, or some kind of artificial food. At the yards on Wednesday a large number of sheep, for this season of the year, were brought forward, namely, 5810, and no doubt many of them were sent in to relieve the wet pastures. Nearly the whole of the sheep were of good, and some of them of really prime quality. The market was toped*by a lot of Leicester wethers bred by Mr. E. J. Lee, which brought 17s. Owing to the large number to band, biddings were slack, and several lots were withdrawn near the begining of the sale. Towards the end.-however, prices rallied somewhat, but still, although the day there was a drop of at last Is per head. Our quotation for the week is 2d to 2{ per lb. . The number of cattle yarded was 239, and the demand for best beef was good up to 30s per lOOlbs ; medium quality was not BO ight after and ranged downwards to 25s per lOOlbs. For young good stores there was a brisk demand and good prices but for inferior, such as old cowf, there was little inquiry, and prices were irregular. Messrs H. Matson owl Co. report on the Live Stock Market, &c, for the week ending Friday, June 22, 1877, as follows :— At the Aldington Market, on. Wednesday, 239 cattle and-5810 sheep were penned off for the week,s supply. A large proportion of the cattle comprised stores of various descriptions, with a few lines of prime to ordinary beef, which latter sold at an advance of from 10s to 20s per head oyer last week's values, the store cattle realising about last week's prices. The bulk of the sheep to band consisted of prime mutton. At the opening of the sale biddings were very dull, causing many lines to be " passed in ;" but, towards the middle and close of the sale more animation was displayed resulting in nearly the whole of the stock changing hands. Prices were irregular, but considering the very large supply of prime mutton offered, we look upon the sales as satisfactory. There is a capital demand for all classes of store sheep and young cattle, with very few. offering. Our sales for the day were 150 head of cattle and 3229 sheep. Light weight steers and heifers brought £9 10s, £10 10s, to £1110s per head ; fresh stores, £G 10s, £7 10s, to £8 5s ; milch cows and springers, £8 10s, £12, to £16 per head ; 3 T onng stock, various prices. In sheep we topped the market for the season with a draft of prime Leicester 2-tooth wethers on account of Mr E. J. Lee, of Southbridge, at 17s per head. These were really prime quality, and heavy weights. We sold 202 cross-breds. at 12s 9d ; 101 do, at 13s 3d ; 130, at 10s 9d ; 200 cross-breds, at lis 6d and 12s; 600 merino wethers, at 6s 9d; 200 cross-breds, at 10s 3d ; and for various owners, 220 cross-bred lambs at 7s 3d, 7s. cros-breds at lis, 500 do at lis 3d perl head, 80 do at 9s, 40 do at 7* 9d, 122 do at 9s 6d, 330 do at 9s, and 150 do at 9s 3d. Wool, Sheepskins. Hides, and Tallow.—A large supply of sheepskins, &c, was catalogued on' Thursday; there was a good attendance of buyers. Best butchers crossbreds, brought 4s 6d, 4s lOd, 5s 3d, to 6s 2d each;best merinos, 3s, 3s 3d, 3a _9d each; country second class and green skins

sold well according to quality ;hides, salted 4|d ; green,-3£d ; calf, 6d per lb ; rough fat, 2id to 2-id per lb.