AUCTIONEERS' REPORTS.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 565, 13 December 1881, Page 2

AUCTIONEERS' REPORTS.

Messrs H. Matson anl Co. report on the Live Stock Market, etc., for the weekending Thursday, December 8, 1881, as follows- :—At yesterday's weekly Addington sale, the supply of stock was again heavy, the sheep yards being well filled by eight o'clock, whilst of fat and store cattle there were more than sufficient for the day's requirement-,. This being ihe first sale held under the ne.v regulations of commencing at 9 o'clock in the morning, the experiment may fairly be said to have boen a success, and a step in the right direction. It was proved that there was no difficulty whatever in getting the stock penned in good time, and if the attendance at the openi.ig of the auction was small, this is a matter that will soon remedy itself, when it is found that the earliest arnva. mean securing the cheapest lines. As it wan, the sale was over before three o'clock, and nearly every lot of stoJt removed the same evening. Judging l> y yesterday's auction, and tho tone of tho last few markets, the sheep sale seems decidedly quieter, and prices are fu ly Is per head lower for fat sheep than they were a month since. Although feed on "tbe light lands i.-i scarce, this is not the case generally, and with the few showers we have had during the past week Ihere is every probability of tho supply of mutton being in excess of requirements for some time to come. Young store sheep, although selling well, are still easier to buy, a decline of 6d per head being noticeable in most of tho lines changing hands now, to what was obtainable a few weeks since. Prime fat crossbred wethers on Wednesday brought 10s to Us Gd for extra heavy waights ; mixed lines, 8s 9d to 9s 6d ; merino wethers to li 3d. For store purposes we placed several lots of two and four-tooth crossbreds in good condition at from 8d Gd to 'is, being tho sumo price as paid for .some el the light lines of mutton. At the clo.-.e o!'the m'aiket the bulk of the sheep on -.fi\;r had been sold, but business was dub, -.:nl prices on tho whole fully Is per head ' iwur. The . ridiculously low prices at -.'•! icli fat lambs have been vended for "./oral weeks past has had (as might be ;:-|r;et(id; tho effect of stopping supplies, '►-■as than half the number being penned yesterday than has been the rule of late, "•'".>:' those on oiler ready buyers were lound, at from 6o to 7s for/nedium quality

8s to 9s for prime lots. Of fat cattle there was an average entry, of which the bulk were sold at prices ruling much in accordance with the previous week's quotations. Mr Birdling's steers brought £7 to £8; mixed weights and medium quality, for various owners, £6 6s to £7 10s. In stores there was a dull and dragging trade, with less doing than for several week's past. This is partly accounted for by the fac that most of the cattle on offer were wanting both in size and condition, the demand at present being more particularly for older lines to fatten out at once. TKo totals yardrd for the day comprised 6067 sheep, 615 h»ad of cattle, and 16 pigs.

Messrs ft. Wilkin and Co. report : — There was a good attenuation at nnr weeldy sale of Sh'-epskins. &c\. which we held in our New Zetland Wool Stores on Thursday. 1857 skins were catalogued.- and as the various descriptions were in keen demand, there was a brisk sale. Butchers' crossbred. lirge, 6s. 6s 7d, 6s 13d ; do do, second quality, 4s'9d, 5s 6d, 6s ; lambskins, largo lssd to Is 7d ; do, second quality. Is 2d, to Is 5d ; pelts, large and early shorn, Is Id, Is 4d, ls7d ; do, second quality, 6d,10d to Is Id ; country crossbred, large, 5s 7d, 6s 3d. 6< 8.1 ; do do. second quality. 2s, 2s lid, 4d, 4s 9d. 5s 7d ; do merino, large, 6s 2d, 6* Bd, 7s Id ; do do, medium, 2s sd, 3s 4d, 4 7d, 5s 6d, 6s 2d; do do email, Is 7d, 2s Id, 2s sd. Fat and Tallow—There was an average attendance of buyers and keen competition. Fat, best quality clean and well snved to 2fd per lb ; second quality, from l£d to 2d| per lb. Heated and inferior, none to hand. Tallow in small lots best quality, to 2£d por lb, being an improvement on late sales. Tallow, second quality, to 2|d per lb. Note.—We have the pleasure to inform our clients that our second wool sale will bo held on Tuesday, 20th instant, in our New Zealand Wool stores.