COMMERCIAL

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 141, 3 February 1939, Page 3

COMMERCIAL

THE -ANNUAL SHEEP FAIR RECORD NUMBER OF BUYERS LOWER PRICES • > REALISED 'The New Zealand Loan, .and'-Mer-cantile Agency Co. l Ltd. report as follows on the annual siieep fair held in the Opotiki saleyards ' AVe had a very large entry of sheep though several advertised lines of wethers were absent- on account of-the very wet weather. The number of visiting buyers was a record for ail Opotiki sale, quite a number of prominent AY’aikato graziers operating freely. Though competition was good and the prices for ewes advanced as the sale proceeded, prices realised show a considerable reduction on those of February last. There was a very rigid limit on prices offering for 4 and tithe wethers, a large number being passed in. Good station ewes up to y-ycar-old met with keen competition throughout, Te Puke buyers taking a large number of these sheep. Top price ol 18s Id was secured' by Mr. A. E. Blake for- a nice line from Whituare Station.

Mr. A'ie AVilson secured 21s for a nice line of 2-t-li ewes and .Messrs Reid Bros. IDs ltd for lot 2, I and ti-tii ewes. Alnraehako 5-yenv ewes made Ills 3d ami other Coast lines made up to Itis 9d. 2-th wethers, fat and forward, account Air. Keith Forbes made Iss 9d. Lambs were yarded in large numbers. Few good sorts were offered, entry lining principally small laiuos, suitable for dairy farmers. Prices realised wore:Wethers: 2-th fat and forward- 13s 4d to 15s 9d ; smaller sheep, lls to Ids; 4-th wethers, 13s to 14s Sc!; 2 and 4-tli wet hers, 11s to 14s; ti-th wethers, 9s to L‘ss Id. Ewes: 2-th Romneys, good condition and size, 19s to 21s ; 2-tli Romneys, smaller. Itis 9(1 to 1 8s 4(1; -I and ti-th ewes, 18s to Cl; 5-vear ewes, large* entry. Good sheep Irom EastCoast stations, 1.5 s to 18s • poor condition, 5-year ewes, 10s to 12s tid; mixed age ewes to 6-year-old, 11s to 13s 7d ; cull ewes, Ms 3d tol 7s (id. Lambs: mixed sex Down lambs, 9s to 10s; Romney lambs, mixed sox, but small, 9s 4d to 10s 7d; Romney lambs. 7s tid 0* 9s Sd ; mixed sex lambs, small. 7s to 8s 3d : cull lambs, 3s tid to 5s tid.

Romney rams account Stansbiiry Estate, 2-tli, 3J to 5 guineas; account Messrs Black Bros. Paengaroa, 3 gns. to 4.i gns. for 2-th Romneys. AVe report a- good sale with prices well in excess of expectations.