ANNUAL RAM AND SHEEP FAIR.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 67, 20 February 1885, Page 2

ANNUAL RAM AND SHEEP FAIR.

We had the pleasure. of holding on Tuesday at our Annual Ram and Sheep Fair, Bulls, one one of the largest sheep: sales ever held at any public sale yards, we believe m the North Island. Over 11,00) sheep were entered for the sale, but owing to unavoidable circumstances at the last moment a large mob did not come forward ; but independent of that we yarded between 9,00J and. 10,000 sheep, thb most of which were sold under the hammer >at satisfactory[rates, and we could have quitted all had not the reserves on those passed m been a little above tho present market value, though the sheep were of good quality. The attendance was large aud (excepting for the pure-bred Romuey ewes, which were certainly not m such demand as last year though fully up to the mark) the bidding was spirited aud became more so as the salo proceeded. Contrary to expectation there was a greater demand for breeding ewes than wethers, the bidding fonihe former being decidedly more brisk and the proportion of that class sold greater. We penned 299 nuns, viz., 155 Lincoln, 99 Romney, 14 Merino, 5 Shropshire aud 26 half-bred. The Lincolns found more favour this year and obtained the highest average. Those sold by Mr Larkworthy brought a fraction over 4 guineas each, the highest average for the Romneys being a fraction under 4 guineas each the rate per head for those' sold by the trustee of the late Mvjor Willis and the rams sent by Mr Reid, of Elderslie, Oamaru, the highest price obtained m each of those class was 7 guineas. The following were the rates realized for the differeut classes of sheep. PURE BRED LINCOLN RAMS. F. B. Larkworthy 'a, 2 to 7gs; J. G. Wilson's, Ito 4JgB; E. Read's, average lg ; Sir W. Fox, do.; Peter Stewart's, 1 to ligs ; R; P. Flood's, average lg ; F. Bryco's, 1 to 3gs ; Utiku Maru Maru's, J to ljrgs ; W. B. Retemeyer's pure bred Liucolu ewes, lls 3d ; do. pure bred Lincoln lambs, 10s 9.1 to lls. PURE BRED ROMNBY MARSH RAMS. Trustees late Major Willis, 3 to 7gs ; L. C. Richards', 1 to 3gs ;G.C. Wheeler's, 2 4 to" 4gs; Mr Read's, of Elderslie, Canterbury, 3"to sJgs ; Sir W. Fox's, 2 to3gs ; A. Matthews'; 2 to 3£gs. PORE BRED ROMNEY EWES. Trustees lute Major Willis, average lg ; G. C." Wheelet's 6 aud 8-tooth, fg; W. B. Retemeyer's, average 20s ; do. pure Roinuey lambs, 10s. " PURE BRED MERINO RAM'S. Jos. Pearson, (Canterbury) average lg ; A J. Bailey, do ; D. Fraser, do. HALK BRED MERINO ROMNEY RAMS. J...Newman's, £2. HALF BRED MERINO LINCOLN RAMS. D Fraser's, £ to 2£gs. PURE BRED SHROPSHIRE RAMS. J. W. Gower's, 1 to 2±gs. FAT- AND STOR ■■: SHEEP. Fnt wethers, 10s; forward store wethers, 9s 6d ; 2 aud 4-tooth wethers, 8s to Si Id ; forward ewes, ds Id ;2tooth ewes, 8s 91 to 9s 3d ; half-bred ewes, 7s 81 to 10s; fnt sheep, 9s 8d ; store ewes, medium, 4s 9d to 6s 9d ; good strong ewes, 7s 6d to 8s 3d : lambs m wool, 5s 2d to 6s 3d ; shorn lambs, 3s Id to 4s sd.