COMMERCIAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4424, 7 June 1922, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

WAIKATO MARKET REPORT. The Farmers’ Co-operative Auctioneering Co., Ltd., reports :— Beef.—Competition for beef is extremely dull, and values still show a tendency to decline. Prime ox is selling at about 17s per 1001 b; good cows draw freer competition proportionately .than steers. In comparison with previous years very few cows' have been yarded, and this no doubt partly accounts for. the better ton? prevailing. Mutton. —Values have eased considerably since our last report, and it seems now as if supplies are equal to the demand. There appears, however, good reasjon to hope that firm markets throughout the winter wjll prevail. A f£w lines of. fat Jambs have been penned during the laist week or two, but except for prime quality values have declined. Store Cattle.—The store cattle market throughout is, except for an occasional flicker, dull and lifeless. Grown steers are still coming to hand in large numbers and with difficulty, quitted. Young steers are saleable, but prices are not so firm as those lately ruling. In. calf heifers have dropped out of popularity. Records prove, however, that this season of the year is generally dull for dairy stock. Empty Jersey heifers on the other hand are in high favour, and draw strong competition wherever offered. Shorthorn calves of, both sexes have slightly declined.. Store Sheep.—ln all markets store sheep a?e easier, even ewes in lamb, which were highly, popular a week or two ago, sharing in the general decline. Lambs, however, in the dairying centres still continue to sell, freely in small lots. . Dairy Cattle.—The averages registered at the various clearing sales do not indicate a vpry promising outlook for the season. As intimated above, rejects from the dairy farms have not been coming forward in the same proportion as during previous years, and as a natural consequence will not require to be replaced. In combination with this many farmers are giving Up dairying, and these two reasons alone are sufficient to account for the present set-back. No doubt as the new season approaches better competition will be observed. Pigs.—The yardings have not been so heavy recently, although values remain much on the old basis—-if anything a little lower. An early improvement is anticipated. Horses.—The market still remains dull for all classes, and improvement can hardly be expected earlier than the spring. SALE AT MATANGI MILKING SHORTHORN CATTLE. The Farmers’ Auctioneering Co., Ltd., Hamilton, reports: At Matangi on Thursday last we held, on behalf of Messrs Ranstead Bros . their'first annual sale of Milking Shorthorn cattle, consisting of about 40 lots in .all. Buyers or their representatives were present from as far north as Whangarei and down to Invercargill. As every care had been used by Messrs Ranstead Bros, to- blend only the highest producing strains it was natural ,to expect that considerable interest would be evinced in the sale by Shorthorn fanciers, and it is a pleasure to be able to re cord a very satisfactory conclusion. Owing to the present financial stress it was recognised that sensaitonal va’nes need not be looked for. Nevertheless, competition was good, and practically the whole offering was disposed of. The females, comprising 20 lots, registered an average of £2l 7s. The highest, figure realised In this section was 39gns. for; lot 21 Matangi Mary, a red heifer, 18 months old, drawing copious infusions of. Darbalara blood fjrom both branches of ancestry. The bulls, comprising 9 lots, averaged £3l 2s, the highest figure being for the Red Lord line showing considerable butter-fat backing. Details of the sale are as follows ; Lot 1, Matangi Princess, 30gns. Anderson, Invercargill; lot 2, Molly 3rd, 30gnS. R. D Duxfleld, Horbtiu; lot 3, Sunshine 4th, 31gns, same purchaser ; lot 4, Pauline HI, 26gns. Miss Fell, Taurahga ; lot 5, Ruth IV, 20gns, same purchaser; lot 6, Nectarine, 12gns, R. D. Duxfleld, Horotiu; lot 7, Rosalind 111, 12gns, same purchaser; lot 9, Isa. 16gns, W. Davys, Bruntwood; lot 10, lOgns, R. D. Duxfleld ; lot 11, Marion, 10'gns, Miss Fell; lot 12, Winnie 111, 30gns, R. D. Duxfleld: lot 15, Hazel, 34gns, Anders'on, Invercargill ; lot 16, Lydia, W. Davys; lot 17. Rene, 12gns, Smyth Bros., Pukekohe; lot 18, Gertrude 11. lOgns, R. D. Duxfleld ; lot 19, Kathleen, lOgns, A. Klatt, Hunterville; lot 20, Polyama, lOgns, W. Davys ; lot 21, Mary, 39gns, D. Hardie, Whangarei ; lot 22, Mystery, 28gns, Miss Fell; lot 23, Queen, 24gns .R. D. Duxfleld; lot 24, Esau 11, 40gns, W. J. Holmes, Runciman ; lot 25, Frederick V, 27%gns, John Batkin, Tuakau; Tot >26, Frederick VI, 45gns, W. Bennett, Matiere ; lot 27, Statesman, 15gps, A. Klatt; lot 28. Robin, 60gns, J. W. 'Anderson, Hiriuera; lot 32, Paul, 25gns, Pease, Matatoki ; lot 34, Raleigh, 18gns, W. Davys; lot 39, Salvo, W.. Fry, Ohura; lot 40, Rudolph, lOgns, Mrs. E. A. White. Tahuna.