COMMERCIAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1321, 31 March 1885, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

AUCTIONEERS’ REPORTS.’

TIMARU.

Messrs Maclean and Stewart report for the past week ending Saturday as follows :

Horses,—Thirty-eight horses were today entered at their yards for sale, comprising unbroken draught colts and fillies, medium draughts and a few ordinary hacks. They have to report a quiet demand and prices easy. Six unbroken fillies and colts were sold at from £6 to £l9 10s, making an average of £lO per head ; medium draughts were sold at from £ll to £l4; hacks, £8 to £lO. Sheep.—Their usual fortnightly sale at their Washdyke free yards was held last Tuesday, when a large entry of store sheep was booked for sale. They have to report a good attendance of buyers, and are glad to say an upward tendency in prices and increased demand was exhibited. Total yarded for sale : 6650 sheep of various classes, of which they sold as follows; — 800 full-mouth merino ewes at 4s 6d ; 1500 do at 4s 3d; 300 do at 4s; 1250 merino wethers privately after auction sale, at a satisfactory price ; 60 crossbred ewes at 7s 8d , 200 cull merino ewes at 2s ; 370 2,4, and 6-tobth crossbred ewes at 10s 9J ; 200 merino wethers at 5s Bd, 150 crossbred wethers at 9s, 150 crossbred lambs at 8s 2d ; 70 merino ewes and wethers at from 4s 4d to 7s —making a total of over 5000 sheep they disposed of. Fat sheep are plentiful at a shade under 2d per lb. Cattle. —About 150 head cattle were yarded for sale last Tuesday at the Washdyke, and a better demand was displayed. Good steers brought £4 ss, yearlings 14s up to 15s, cows and heifers £3 10s to £6, calves at 13s, Fat cattle—Present values bring about 17s 6d per 1001 b. Clearing Sale—On Thursday, the 26th instant, in the matter of Messrs Rodgerson and Patterson, farmers, Totara Valley, they (in conjunction with Messrs Fleming and Hedley) held a clearing sale of the freehold property, fanning stock and plant. They have to report that seldom have they seen so large an attendance at a country sale, there being at one time close on about 200 people present, and a pleasant neighborly feeling was strongly exhibited towards the vendors. It is needless for them to state that everything offered for sale was all of a first-class character, and from the prices they realised, and the genefal splendid appearance of the property, show that, in spite of dull limes, farming, when in the hands of experienced and practical men, is a most profitable business. The farm at the homestead, consisting of about 825 acres, is situate at the head of the Tocara Valley, and is without exception one of the choicest spots in New Zealand, the whole being rich limestone land, and nearly all down in English grass, the growth and quality of which is not often seen. This started the sale. The auctioneer, having read the conditions of sale, called for an offer, which was speedily obtained, and ran up to £8 6s per acre. One shilling bids were then taken, and after a spirited competition was knocked down to Mr Pattern.n at £8 10s per acre, who was most warmly congratulated on his purchase, and they venture to say that it could not have fallen into better hands. The other block of 250 acres, about two miles to the west, was then offered. This block is also of the same ricli nature, and was sold to Mr Rodgerson at a bonus of £5 in addition to the purchase money paid*and due to the Levels Estate, from which it was recently purchased. Mr Rodgerson has also secured a very choice freehold. The stock was next in order of the sale. The first lot to offer was a beautiful line of 820 4 and 6-tooth cross? bred ewes, which fell to Mr E. P. Sealey’s bid at 12s; the same purchaser also secured ihe next lot of 410 2-toot h crossbred ewes ;t 11s pd. 860 crossbred lambs brought 7s 6d, 1150 merino ewes at 6s 9 J , 760 merino wethers at 4s 3d, 119 mixed sheep at 3s 9d, 20 cull lambs at 3s, 8 longwoolled rams at from 1 to 3j guineas. Total sheep sold, Tvfd pedigree Ayrshire cows brought 1()£ guineas each ; bull by “Teviot,” 8 guineas; 2 heifers and 1 cow, from 1| to 4| guineas. A very nice lot of draught mares and geldings were then offered, ami thes", they need not say, were of thp right stamp, 12 of vyhiefi were sold at prices nuking from £l2 to £27, making an average of nearly £2O eacli ; 3 foals brought £5 to £5 10a each. Thirty-six pigs brought from 1 Is to £1 ss. Implements—Threshing mill and engine brought £200; Hornsby

reaper and binder, new last season, £3O ; chaffoutter, £lO ; disc harrows, £8 ; grass stripper, £7 ; dray, £lO ; and a number of smaller implements at good values, which closed one of the most satisfactory sales held by the auctioneers. Mr Flem ing, on behalf of the vendors, with a few well-chosen remarks, then thanked those present for their attendance, for their bidding, and for the kindly feeling shown by all throughout the sale.