BUYING STARTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20107, 29 November 1939, Page 8

BUYING STARTS

SHEEP FOR WAIKATO

PRICE IMPROVEMENT

ABOVE LAST YEAR'S

ERRATIC CATTLE MARKET

A start has been made in the forward buying of Gisborne district sheep for delivery to the Waikato early in the new year, values generally being slightly up on those of last, although still well below the rates of two years ago.

Botli ewes and wethers have been subject to deals during the past few days, northern, buyers only being interested at present, none of the business being for delivery to Hawke's Bay or further south.

Rates quoted by Gisborne buyers 10-dav were:—Two-tooth ewes. 25s to 2lis; 5-year ewes, 2l)s to 21s; fi-year ewes, ids to 17s; 2-tooth wethers, 14s (id to 15s; 4-tooth wethers, 17s to 17s (in

These quotations are Is to Is (id per head higher than last year for 2-tooth ewes and approximately 3s better for 4-looths. Last year buying did ri-»t commence until December, when 2-loolh ewes were quoted at 23s (id to 25s and 5-vear at Kis 9cl to 18s. Last year's rates wore approximately 9s and sometimes more below the 1938 level, when values were the highest for a long time. 2-tooth ewes ranging from 32s (id to 40s. with most selling round about 355. while 5-year-olds sold from 26s lid to

Buying done by the Waikato so far is not extensive, and only comparatively small numbers have clanged hands, although usually shortly before Christmas a great deal of business Is done. Private buying of cattle is not so marked as it is sometimes. Several lines of store cattle have been sent from the East Coast to the Waikato, but few have gone from Gisborne, although several Gisborne lines have gone to Hawke's Bay, The market for station lines has been very erratic during the past few months, rates varying considerably from fair to fair, and no linn quotations can be g : ven.