THE CANTERBURY RAM AND EWE FAIR

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1575, 7 March 1879, Page 3

THE CANTERBURY RAM AND EWE FAIR

Tho annual Canterbury ram and ewe fair in connection with the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association was commenced yesterday, on the show grounds, Colombo road. As is usual on such occasions, the first day was set apart for the sale of rams, of which there were altogether 1967 penned. The weather was everything that could bo desired, there being for tho most part of the day a cloudy sky, but a balmy atmosphere. There was, too, a very large attendance, so that in this respect the fair maybe considered a success, but in another respect it was of anything but a satisfactory character—that is to say in regard to the quality of tho animals penned, and the consequent difficulty of quitting them at good prices. The best sheep on the ground were undoubtedly those belonging to the Hon. Matthew Holmes and to the New Zealand and Australian Land Company. It is to bo regretted that these fairs are now degenerating into mere auction yards, as they undoubtedly are doing. A large number of the sheep shown yesterday evinced an unmistakeable want of breed, and while for boiling down purposes they would no doubt prove of excellent quality, they are not the class of animals that are likely to improve the standard of the Canterbury sheep. If the society wish to make the fair what it really ought to be—a test of breeding—there should bo some reserve placed upon every

animal put up for sale. To make the fair a mere vehicle for getting rid of the most ordinary class of animals is not nt all desirable, nor is it likely to improve the name which breeders in the province have acquired for themselves as the premier breeders in the colony. While saying this, however, there can be no question that the evident disinclination to purchase yesterday was partly due to the depression of the times in pastoral circles, and the want of pasturage which is at present to he found in most parts of the province. One of the auctioneers did not fail to give it as his opinion that the show was held throe weeks or a month too early. The auctioneers who yesterday officiated were Messrs R. Wilkin and Co. (Mr Tabart acting as salesman), Messrs H. Matson and Co. (Mr John Matson acting as salesman), Messrs J T. Ford and Co. (Mr Newton wielding the hammer), Messrs W. J. GK Bluett and Co., Mr Bluett himself acting as salesman, and Messrs Aclaud, Campbell and Co. The gentlemen sold in the order named, this having been decided by ballot, and each took a short spell about, giving place to their successors, and then again resuming the rostrum in the same order till the end of the sale. And judging from their remarks they were evidently an illused class of men, second only in this respect so far as the fair was concerned to their clients. What they disposed of they sacrificed at an untold loss to the owners, and it must be confessed that it needed all their powers of persuasion in many instances to effect a sale at all. This doubtless was from the reasons already given. Lot after lot was passed in: the prices in most cases realised were, according to the auctioneers, most ruinous to the sellers, but fortunes to the buyers, while to show how hard pressed they were for customers, towards the close of the sale appeals were made to the reporters to see if they could not be induced to purchase a twotooth Leicester ram or a six-tooth Romney Marsh. The sale was to have commenced at ten o’clock punctually, but it was past eleven before the bell rang for the disposal of the first lot. The arrangements were under the charge of a committee of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, consisting of Messrs W. Norman, J. T, Ford, John Q-rigg, John Mann, Wm. Henderson, and F. C. Tabart. The obliging secretary of the association, Mr M. Murphy, was also present to render any necessary assistance, but his position was, for the day, pretty well a sinecure. The caterer was Mr Wild of Papanui, who gave every satisfaction. Referring now briefly to the sale itself and to the animals on the ground, it might be as well to say a few words. If the fair is really to servo the purpose for which it is intended, it must be looked upon as a metropolitan show at which only the best of sheep should be auctioned. In fact, our breeders should take a pride in bringing their best sheep into competition, aud no animal should be penned on which there was not a reserve, and a reserve that would show it to be a really first-class animal. It will be seen from the list below that the sales were by no means so large as those of former years, while the prices realised were very much below the average. To day the ewe fair will be held, the sale commencing at noon. The following is the list of sales :

Sold by Messrs R. Wilkin and Co,

Owner. Breed. 1 No. Sold Price per Head. Buyer. Hon. M. Holmes R. M. i £ 9 s. d. 9 0 John Carter Hon. M. Holmes R. M. 4 6 c 0 John Carter H. J. Hull Lia 5 2 12 6 D. G. Holmes Philip Russell Liu 5 5 5 0 G. D. Holmes Philip Russell Liu 5 3 3 0 D. G. Holmes K. Mitchell & Co. K. Lei .5 4 4 0 Campbell Bros, E. Mitchell * Co. E. Lei 5 3 13 6! Campbell Bros. E. Mitchell it Co. E. Lei 5 .'5 13 GjCJunpbell Bros, E. Mitchell & Co. E. Lei 5 3 13 6.Campbell Bros. 6 T. S. Mainwaring E. Mitchell & Co, E. Lei 30 2 7 J. Pearson M. 5 3 3 0 — Parkinson J. Pearson M. 5 3 3 0 — Strange J. Pearson M. 5 •t 3 0 — Strange N.Z. it A.L. Co. Lei 114 3 6 J. McBeth N.Z, & A.L. Co. Lei 5 3 8 8 — Price Thomas Sntton Lin 1 (1 16 G J. Wilkin Fredk. Sutton Lin 29 1 1 0;J. Carter Fredk. Sutton Lin 10 1 6 31R. Wright N.Z. .t A.L, Co. Lin 1 11 11 0 Play Brothers N.Z. & A.L, Co. Lin I'll 11 0 J. T). Deans N.Z. & A.L. Co. Lin 1 8 8 0 G. Thacker Hon. M. Holmes Lin 1 1.3 2 6 Hon. W. Fox Hon. M. Hoimes Lei 1 12 12 0 John MeBeath Hon. M. Holmes Lei 1 10 10 0 — Atninsou Hon. M. Holmes Lei 5 3 13 I! W. Bong N.Z. it A.L. Co. Lei 10 8 3 0 R. L. Tosswill N.Z. & A L. Co. Lei 5 8 3 0 J. N. Tosswill N.Z. it A.L. Co. Lei 10 3 3 0 W. Grant N.Z. it A.L. Co. Lei 10 3 3 0 H. B. Johnson N.Z. it A.L, Co. Lei 5 o 12 6 —■ Bethel Sold nv Messrs. H Matson & Co. John Grigg Lin 10i 1 11 6iE. R. Gnimioss John Grigg Liu o 2 2 ( —. Pickering John Grigg Lin 5 i n G|T. II. Wigley James Grigg E. Lei 5 2 2 ojjobn Maun James Grigg E. Lei 5 2 7 3 J. L, Coster John Grigg L. Lin 5 i ii 6 J. T. Menzies John Grigg S. S. 2 2 12 (i E. Mitchell John Grigg s. s. i 3 .8 0 .1. Me Both John Grigg s. s. O 2 2 0 J. Carter Henderson and Me Beth B.L L 4 2 O (1 John Todd John Grigg Lin 10 I 11 6 H. McKay John Grigg Lin 1G i 11 6 Leonard White John Grigg Lin 2 i ii 6 John Hart John Grigg Liu 5 i 6 3 John Carter John Grigg Liu 70 i 11 6 T. M. Hassell John Grigg Liu 30 i 11 (j Morton & White John Grigg Lin 30 i n 6 E. R. Guinness John Grigg Liu 15 i 11 6 Goo. White John Grigg Lin 5 2 7 3 — Piper John Grigg Lin 401 0 1(1 0 Garforth & Leo J. Gehbie Lei 4 i 1 0 D. Gehbie J. Gehbie Lei 4 0 15 9 D. Gehbie Rev. P. O’Callaghan R M 5 4 4 0 Robt. Aiken Rev. P. O’Callaghan R hi 2 3 3 OChas. Boatcher Rev. P. O’Callaghan R M 5 1 11 1 6 Roht. Aiken W. Boag P R 5 4 4 0 J. McBeth H. Pannett Sdn 1 1 16 0|H, Washbourne H. Pannett |Sdu 1 1 11 6 1— Early H. Pannett Sdn 1 1 11 G Hon. E. Gray H. Pannett Sdn 1 1 1 0 Geo. Phillips Sold by Messrs Ford and Co. Win. Marcroft Lei 5 1 4 4 0 Weare, Hawke’s Win, Marcroft Lei 58 8 0 1 Buy SWeare, Hawke’s Philip Russell Lei 4 3 , Bay 0 Maxwell and i Mathias Philip Russell Lei ! 3 3 0 Ensor II. J. Tancred R. M i 0 15 0J.W. Rountree HonW.Robinsoi 1 E. Le 35 1 1 0 J. D. Holmes HonW.Robinsoi E. Le ill 1 1 0 W. Jackson HonW. Robinson E. Lei i 0 15 9 G. 1). Holmes HonW.Robinsoi E. Le 130' 0 10 6 E. Guinness Hon W. Robinson lE.Lei j 20' 0 10 6 J. J. lunes Sold by Messrs J. G. Bluett & Co. Messrs E. & A. McLean Lei 1 1 ■>l 2 12 6 j J. L. Coster Sold by Messrs Acland, Campbell <t Co. W. B, Andrew Lin 5 2 2 0 j Maxwell and W, B. Andrew Lin r f 1 15 Mathias 0 1 E. Tesche1 1 1 maker