The Birmingham Sale

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 97, 8 February 1890, Page 2

The Birmingham Sale

(By our own Reporter.) Thursday last was indeed a red letter day in the history of that infant but thriving township designated Birmingham, the occasion being the first stock sale there held by Messrs Freeman R. Jackson aud Co. Two of Mr Daw's coaches ran from Feilding, both of which were well patronised en route. By the kind invitation of the proprietor, I availed myself of a trip in the " special," driven by that popular Jehu "Bob," and arrived at the scone of action in about two and a half hours from the time of starting. A large number of settlers and visitors were already on the ground, and many more came later . on, so tbat by the time the sale commenced the company altogether must have numbered between 150 and 200. The British ensign, floating. fyoih the tall flag staff, indicated, even in the distance, the locality of the sale yards, namely : close to the " Birmingham Hotel," or rather, to use its own more modest title, V The Waitapu Licensed Accommodation . ' ' The pens were all well laid out, cjeanjy. gravelled, and wrH filled with samples of the various kinds of stock the district is capable of producing. T.iese on Thursday included cattle, sheep, rams, pig!?, poultry aud horses. I need scarcely say that Mr Lowes, the genial host of •' the house," had made special provision for the- convenience and comfort of. Jn:i numerous guests, and as an exceptionally hqt .day -. produced yin ail a mo re thud

ordinary desire to "lubricate," it goes without saying that he did a very lively trade. After a splendid dinner, which would have done credit to any City hotel, in the colony, the sale commenced, and although tho bidding was not, so brisk as is sometimes the case on similar occasions, most of the lot.? were knocked down at fairly remunerative rates/ Before the commencement of the sale Mr Jackson gave a brief address, aud intimated that it was intended to hold sales at Birmingham at least once every three months, and if sufficient, inducement qffered.Ntho^ ; would be "held' once every i£ienth.*d^e> said it was apparent- that the time had arrived when such gatherings were necessary, as Feilding, was ..too far distant for many of the settlers of the district to attend for the purchase or disposal of stock, and quite far enough away not to interfere with the Feilding sales. As the auctioneers' manager, Mr Carr, will furnish a more detailed report of the results of the sale I need not do so here. " Before leaving I made an inspection of the new Birmingham Town Hall, which is a good-sized substantial building, situated about six or seven chains from the i hotel. It is. well fitted up,-; having anterooms, stage, &c, and well adapted for public meetings and entertainments. It is expected to be completed in a week or so, and will then be formally opened, some of the leading amateurs of Feilding having, 1 understand, been invited to assist at the ceremony. . " ; I notice that great progress is being made in the opening up of the country, the cultivation of the land, and the erection of new dwellings, &c. It is evident that for industry at least this rising little place is aptly christened after its prototype the great "workshop of the world," aud has a very prosperous future before it.