AUCTIONEERS' REPORTS.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 543, 27 September 1881, Page 2

AUCTIONEERS' REPORTS.

Mr A. I. McGregor reports holding an auction sale of drapery, blankets, and clothing on the pie-mises of Messrs G. L. Boath & Co., Beach road, Akaroa, on the afternoon of Saturday last. There was but a very spar.so attendance of the public, and biddings came slowly. Only a small amount of business was done, the want of jeady cash amongst working people at this season operating against the success of such sales. The balance of the unsold goods have been packed up and return to the Christchurch house of the firm by the s.s. Hawea this morning.

Messrs. H. Matson and Co. report on the Live Stock Market, &c, for the weeh end-

ing Thursday, September 22nd, as follows: —For yesterday's weekly sale at Aldington a largo supply of all classes of fat stock was sent to hand for trade requirements. In mutton the quality, as usual, was good, but to a great extent made up of merino wethers, several lines of which were equal to any that have been sent into the market this season. Ptices (except for a few of the very best lines of cross-breds) were somewhat lower, and more in favor of buyers than for many weeks past, tho reduction being most marked in merinos; of these several lots were turned out unsold, whilst in cross-breds values fluctuated as much as Is to Is Gd per head during the day in the same weight and quality of sheep. There are very few stores coming to hand just now, and these change hands at somewhat lower rales. The fat lamb season seems to have opened auspicious'y this year, Wednesday week last bringing the b'rst line, whilst yesterday there was sufficient of really prime lambs for most of the trade to get a supply. Judging by accounts that reach us, there is every probability of the consignments being kept up, whilst the quality promises to be exceptionally good. The fat cattle sale was a terribly monotonous and unsatisfactory affair. The entry was a large one, augmented considerably from South Canterbury, but from first to last there was an absence of anything like competition on the part of the trade, and sales were made with difficulty at a decline of 10s to 15s per head under late quotations. About two-thirds of the number on offer only changed hands, the balance being turned out unsold. Prime steers brought £9 to £10; a few extra heavy weights at £1 per head over; but £7 10s to £9 10s were the ruling rates for good cattle. The store cattle trade seems to have suffered a severe check fiuin what was being done a few weeks since. Then there was no difficulty in " turning over " useful lines of youngsters at a fair price, but for some cause or the other the demand seems to have temporarily fallen off, and ac yesterday's sale out of a very large entry, the bulk failed to find Guyers. The totals yarded for the day comprised 5159 sheep, 477 head of cattle, and 135 pigs.