INVERCARGILL MARKETS.

Southern Cross, Volume 2, Issue 36, 1 December 1894, Page 12

INVERCARGILL MARKETS.

The J. G. Ward Farmers’ Association report having held their fortnightly stock •sale at the Invercargill yards on Tuesday. The entry in cattle was a large one in all classes, and in fat cattle included some nice pens of bullocks from Orepuki, for which there was keen competition at up to LIO 15s. The top price for best other pens we sold was L 9 17s 6d, L 9 12s 6d ; 3 pens at L 9 2s 6d and smaller at L7to L 8 10s. At above rates we sold 30 head. Store Cattle. —Although a large number forward there were very few grown bulloc , the bulk of the entry being made up of young cattle and dairy cows. The latter class were dull of sale unless very close to calving. We cleared our line of best sorts at from L 5 to L 6 10s ; medium and dry cows at L 4 to L4lss; two year olds at L 3 16s to L 3 14s a head, and young ones at 30s to 42s each. The rough ■day had a bad effect on the appearance of store cattle. Sheep—The entry was only a medium one, still quite equal to requirements. The best woolly sheep brought up to 16s each ; medium sorts, 14s 6d to 15s. Shorn wethers ranged from 8s to 10s 3d each ; hoggets, 8s to 9s ; ewes, with lambs at foot, 8s each. Pigs —Only a few pens forward, for which there was poor demand.

The N.M. & A. Co. reports as follows on the Invercargill market, Tuesday, 27th Nov.: — Fat Cattle —54 head fat cattle were yarded, and contrary to expectations, the sale went with great spirit, prices being better than for .sometime. The bulk of the cattle were good bullocks and sold for prime heavy up to £lO 15b ; good, £8 15s to £9 10s ; light, £6 to £7. Only a few cows yarded, and very ordinary «orts, at £5 to £6. Store Cattle—223 entered, but owing to the very stormy day the demand was rather ■quiet, especially for dairy stock. Good yearlings brought 40s to 50s, small do 25s to 355, 2-year-olds £2 15s to £3 10s, 3-year-old steers L 4 to L 5, store cows 50s to 70s, dairy cows X 4 10s to L 5 10s. Fat Sheep over-supply prices dropped. But fat wethers in wool brought 14s to 15s 6d, shorn 9s 6d to 10s 6d, ordinary 8s to 9s, fat lambs 8s 3d. Store Sheep—236, mostly hoggets, bringing up to 10s 3d in the wool; shorn wethers 8s lOd each. Owing partly to the boisterous and wintry weather and to the fact that shearing has been retarded thereby, the entries of sheep at auction have been rather small. Prices also are not as good as a few months back, owing to the unsettled state of the meat and wool markets. What these are going to be is very doubtful, but if Canterbury is any indication, prospects appear good for the meat trade, as at present sheep are much dearer there, and purchases are occasionally being made in Dunedin markets to fill orders, sheep being railed from there to Christchurch. It is to be hoped that before our works open the same state of things may exist here, as the past year has been a very unsatisfactory one for all concerned. Regarding values of wool, very little can at present be said; but we would impress on growers the fact that local sales are each year becoming more important, and this being the case, it is necessary to maintain them by miking the catalogues as large as possible. Apparently manufacturers .•at Home are realising this, and as mentioned by a Home paper recently, each year will find more buyers attending colonial sales, owing to the fact that a large amount of the best wool is now disposed of in this manner. Growers will also note the fact that prices ruling during this year’s sales in London are giving lower net returns than local sales. We can prove this by our own observations and do not make the assertion vaguely. Another point we wish to mention and this is the charges. We believe in getting value for services rendered We pay promptly, and we in all cases study the vendor and do our utmost to secure good returns, but we are not going to have other firms going to our clients and saying that they will do business on cheaper or mere advantageous terms. In short, while wishing to get a reasonabieremuneration, we are prepared to do business as cheaply and, as well as any other firm.