AUCTIONEERS' REPORTS.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 605, 2 May 1882, Page 2

AUCTIONEERS' REPORTS.

Messrs H. Matson and Co. report on tbe Live Stock Market, etc., for the week end ing Thursday, April 27th, 1882, as follows:—Although yesterday's supply of stock was a large one, still in sheep and and store cattle there was a considerable falling off from tho average of the past month's sates. In mutton prime quality was the exception, and not tho rule, but this did not give any impetus to competition, and the biddings throughout were weak and flagging, a decline of la per head being in many cases noticeable. Prime crossbreds brought 13s to 14s and Gd, merino wethers, very good, to 10s, inferior quality ewes and light weight crossbreds l'.s to 12s 6d; Mr H. D. Gardiner's merino wethers brought 9s 3d all round for the line of 380, and were a really grand line of sheep. Thero is still a very brisk inquiry, good 2, 4 or G-tooth crossbred ewes being worth 103 to lis per head, and several times during the paßt week we have placed lines _of store lambs at the first-mentioned price. _ In beef the supply was a large one. with a fair proportion of prime quality good ■cattle. For the latter something like a show of competition was several times experienced, but for light weight heifers, fat steers, etc., which represented a considerable s'laro of the entry, it was difficult in many cases to elicit a bid, and the sdewasa drag from beginning to end. A pen of extra prime steers brought £10 per head, various lots £7 to £8, but the bulk were quitted at from £5 to £6 5s per head..'.. In store cattle, trade was, if -anything, worse, and a salesman's duty in having to submit to and sacrifice stock at the ruinous prices now ruling, is anything but a pleasant one. Re the pig trade : good quality bacon pigs of from 140 to 160 lbs weight are more in request, and 'we noticed at yesterday's sale that several curing firms were represented by buyers for this class of pigs. For the weights above-mentioned 2|d to 3d per lb is obtainable, but other classes are comparatively neglected. The totals yarded for the day comprised 8908 sheep, 447 head of cattle, and 261 pigs.

Messrs It. Wilkin and Co. report:— There was a good attendance and fair competition at the weekly sale of sheepskins which we held in our New Zealand Wool Stores, on Thursday. 19G4 skins were catalogued, and all sold as follows :-— Butchers' crossbred, large, 4s 4d, 4s lOd, 5s 3d ; do do, medium, 2s, 2s Bd, 3s 6d, 4s 4d ; do do, small, ls 4d, ls 6d, 2s; do merino, large, 3d 3d, 3s '9d, 4s 2d ; do do, second quality, ls 9d, 2s 6d, 3s 3d ; country crossbred, large, 4s sd, ss, 5s 7d ; do do medium, 2s, 2s 9d, 3s Bd, 4s 5d ; do do, small, Is 4d, ls Bd, 2s Id ; do m.'irino, some very large and heavily woolled skins were disposed of at 6s 4d and 7s 3d ; country merino, large. 4s 2d, 4s Bd, 5s 3d ; do do, medium, 2h, 2s 9d, 3s 3d, 4s 2d ; do, do small, ls 4d, ls 9d, 2s ; pelts, lialfwoolled, lOd, ls Id, ls 4d ; do small and lute shorn, 31, 7d, lOd. Fat and tallowThere was an average attendance of buyers, and brisk competition. Seventyfour packages were catalogued, ond all disposed of. Fat—Best quality, clean and well saved, 2|-d per lb ; second quality at to 2£d per lb. Tallow in small lots at 2d to 2 : , L d per lb for medium quality, and to 2ls Gd per cwt for good samples. Hides, sound, at 4d per lb, and4£d per lb for some heavy hides ; hides, damaged, weighing 551bs and over at 3d per lb ; do do do under 551bs at 2|d per lb. C.dfskins, sound, at 4d per lb ; do, cut and other-vise damaged, at 2d per lb.