COMMERCIAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1174, 6 May 1884, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

AUCTIONEERS' REPORTS GERALDtNE. Messrs J. Mandell and Co. repoit sales of stock, etc., for the week ending May 3rd, leß4 : At the Geraldine monthly sale of stock on Wednesday, there was an unusually large entry of cattle, consisting principally of 3-year-old steers in forward condition, fhe entry for sheep was not so large as last month, owing to the heavy rain the previous day. The totals yarded for the days were—92o sheep, 146 head of cattle, and 6 pigs. At auction no sheep were sold, but privately we placed a line of merino at 6s 6d ; 3-year-old steers sold at £5 7s 6d ; yearlings, £1 10s; pigs (weaners) 6s 6d. At Winchester Fair on Thursday a moderate supply of stock came forward, but the sale was dull. Our entry was—--800 merino ewes, 62 merino and longwool rams, 13 pigs, and 12 head of cattle. At auction we only .succeeded in selling 1 cow at £4 2i 6d, 2 pigs at £2 10s and 2 rams at £2. TFMAKtJ. Messrs Maclean and Stewart report for the past week ending 1 Saturday as folbws : Horses—Theie was a large falling off of entries at their yards to-day, only about 30 head having come forward, and these, with one or two exceptions, were not the class required, being mostly light and inforior draughts and very ordinary hacks ; in consequence there was very little business done, and prices ruled low. They sold about a dozen head at from Lll to LlB for inferior draughts, and from L 7 to LlO for hacks. They regret to observe the gradual decline in prices of almost all classes of work horses, and also the throat difficulty in placing anything unless extra good. This applies more to their weekly sale* on Saturdays at their yards ; at country sales better prices are very often obtainable ; however, a slight improvement may yet occur, as soon as threshing and carting are finished and good horses wanted for ploughing, etc. Buyers today had to go away without getting the ; r requirements. Sheep.—A few lines of store she«p are changing hands, but the demand is pretty well supplied. At Winchester, last Thursday, an average entry came to hand, but prices realised there were slightly under former rates. They sold a line of 200 crossbred wethers at 14s sd, and privately during the week they have sold 600 merino ewes at fair values. They also placed to a southern buyer, in one line, 40 Leicester rams at «{good values. Fat sheep are changing; hands at prices equal to about 2£d per lb. Cattle.—As reported, the sale of Mr Rickman's cattle has been the most important sale of store cattle held in South Canterbury for a long time back, but beyond this there have been do transactions of importance during the week. Fat Cattle—Present values are about 17s 6d per lOOlbs.