THE RAM AND EWE FAIR.

Temuka Leader, Issue 255, 15 April 1880, Page 2

THE RAM AND EWE FAIR.

The Earn and Ewe Fair, held near Winchester on Tuesday last, was but poorly attended. The stock brought forward by various auctioneers was not only abundant but represented the blood in many instances to be found in Canter bury. Yet, with all these preparations for the benefit of tho local farmers, few of them put in an appearance. Tho Temuka and Milford district farmers may be justly termed " the most sleepy lot to be found in New Zealand." Nothing will persuade them to look out for good 1 needs of sheep and cattle, and all the while they cry out that farming does not pay. How could it pay to breed and feed a iot of crawlers that are barely worth the name of beast ? M.-sm-sJ. T. Ford and Co. offered, ii lots, superior pure bred Lioi.'*»ster rams from Mr Tancred's celebrated sfud flock, young and in good conditi'itj, the highest hid they could get waa only 20s a-head ; and could only sell vry few'; a lower p ieo had to be taken to cle«r the lot off. A p?n of prime Southdowna were sold at 18s each ; a pen of Lincoln rams from Mr Grigg'a flock, sold at 50s and some even as low as 17s G ! each ; a. p-n of. Cotswolds, bought in at 15s each,' afterwards sold at a higher fhmo ; a pen of pure Liecesters, frciii Mr H. J. Sealey's f! >ck (prime sh-ep only) brought 20s 134 pare bred Liecester ewes, from Mr Taucre i's flock, sold at 12s Gd each ; and a lot of other sheep, at wretchedly low prices ; in fact the i'a-r was a failure, entailing boa vy expense on the vendors, and all with the view to putting fanmrs into the way or beiter sto'.-k farming. Unfortunately South Canterbury farmers can see nr other way of doing but crop crop. Wo thuik it must have come fo a cbmax when oafs cannot be sold at Is a bushel. Grille were also unsaleable at the Fair, at remunerative price-;. A let (offered by Messrs Mac ] e mi an I Slenart) of prime pale fed heifers, ibyear olds,wive bought in at L 3 15s a-hoad. The attendance being so poor, all the auctioneers wont away disgusted.