The Amuri Sheep Fair.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 366, 17 March 1902, Page 1

The Amuri Sheep Fair.

The Press States:—lt was not antici pated that the values of store sheep ottered at the annual fair held at Culverden would be nearly so high as the records reached last year, and therefore the results wore not altogether disappointing. The low price of wool and the difficulty of fattening lambs and sheep this summer, owing to scarcity of feed, has mado the year practically a profitless one to the farmers and graziers who paid such high rates for breeding ewes last season The province is also recovering from the shortage of sheep, and there is, therefore, not the same anxiety to secure stock as was manifested in recout years. The result of the sale is, therefore, more satisfactory perhaps to the buyers than to the breeders, but the latter had an exceptionally good innings last year, and as tho market is now going, they have again met with fair support from those farmers and graziers who recognise the value of well-bred sheep. The entry for the Amuri fair held at Culverden totalled 64,222, and was made up of 61,835 stores and 2387 fat sheep and lambs, and besides the annual station drafts from the Amuri, there were consignments from all parts of the Northern district, from Amberley to Ivaikoura, including Choviot. The attendance was about the largest that has been seen at the fair, buyers being present from all the surrounding districts, as well as from Christchurch, the Peninsula, Ellesmere, Darfield, Ashburton, Geraldine, and Waimate. The sheep were, therefore, well distributed, several large lines of breeding ewes, store sheep and lambs having been bought for the plains, Iheie was- a good demand for sound-mouth breeding ewes, both halfbreds and merinos, but aged sheep for the first time for some years brought only boiling-down prices. For the standard lines of young halfbred ewes there was fair competition, but nothing like the keen demand of last year was manifested. The bidding throughout the sale was generally very slow, and buyers were evidently bent on operating cautiously, and not giving more than was considered actual values. The sale occupied some five and a half hours, and only a very few lines were passed. The top price of the day for ewes was 16s'Pd for the Leslie Hills two-tooth halfbreds, the Brookdale draft coming next with 16s 6d, and 'Montrose 15s. Mr Geo. Rutherford, of Daletkorpe, sent up a line of four-tooth maiden ewes, but they were too fat for breeding purposes, aud were 1 sold for freezing. Last year the Brookdale two-tootlis made ■ 22s 9d,j Leslie Hills 21s 9d, and Montrose 21s 7d.