COMMERCIAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1562, 8 March 1887, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

,—♦ AUCTIONEERS' REPORTS. GERALD!NE. Messrs J. Mundell and Co. report sales for the wtek ending Saturday, sth March, 1887 : During the week a large number of stock hay changed owners, and owing, we suppose ; t,o the late rains causing abundance of feed in the paddocks, stock owners are beginning to feel themselves again. Sheep—At the Geraldiue yards on Wednesday 2fi55 made up the eutry for the day. The bidding during the sale was spirited and the major portion of the entry found buyers at the following prices ; —2? tooths and croasbreds, 2s 9t, 3s 7d to 4s 4d ; lambs, 2s, 2s lid to 3s 9d ; aged crossbred ewes (boilers) sold readily at Is Id, Is 4d to Is 9d ; a line of fat wethers fit for freeing were withdrawn at a bid of 8s lOd. At Winchester yards on Thursday the entry of sheep was a moderate one and at auction only one pen of cull lambs were sold at 7d per head.

Cattle—At the Geraldine jards on Wednesday 103 head were yarded for the day's sale, consisting principally of 2 and 3-year-old ateera and heifers. At auction and privately we disposed of the bulk of the entry at the following prices :—Forward store steers, £4 10a to £4 15a ; fat cows, £3 5s to £4 15s ; 2-year-old steers and heifers, £2 7s to £3 ; yearlings, £1 12s 6tl to £ll7s 6d ; dry cows, £2 5s to £3. At Winchester on Thursday there was a large entry of cattle made up principally of store cows and forward steers. Prices realised for the different lots eold by us were: 2-year-old steers and heifers, £2 15s ; dry cows, from £2 10s to £2 15i; cows in milk, £3 7s 6d. Pigs— At Geraldine yards none came forward for sale, although we have hud several inquiries from buyers. Wiochester yards were also bare of pigs.

TIMARU. Messrs Gracie, Maclean, and Adam report for the past fortnight ending Saturday as fo ! lows : Cattle —At Washdyke yards on the 24th ultimo, the pntry of fat and stores was about the average of late sales. There was only a limited demand for the former, but well grown atores were saleaole at about former quotations. W« sold at auction and privately 6 fat cowj at from £4 5s to £5 2s 6d ; 4 steers »t £5 8s ; 12 head prime steers and 14 head steers and heifers at equal to 18s per 100 bs. We also sold 30 head store cattle on account of various owners at from 20a to £3 153 ; for yearlings, 20s to 27s 6d : steers and heifers, £2 10s to £3 ss. At Geraldine,. on the 2nd inst., there was a fair entry of stors cattle, but as owners' values were in most instances too high, very few changed hands. At Winchester oq Thursday we sold 8 bullocks at £6 12s 6d ; and 16 head steers and heifers at from £3 to £5 12* Gd.

Sheep—At Washdyke sale there were only a few penß of prime mutton -and fat ew?s forward, and two lines of 2-tooth crossbred stores. We sold 60 fat ewes at Ss 26 at 4s, and 300 2-tooth crossbreds Bt 3s 4d, At Geraldine on Wednes* day the yards were well filled with all classes, and a considerable number of lots changed hands. We sold 100 lambs at 20 3d ; 350 at 3s 6i. We also sold privately during the week 1270 4-tooth merino ewes ; 400 2 tooth crost--breds, 180 freezers and 2000 boiiers. HorHfa.j—Our entry to-d'iy consisted of 21 head, of which we sold 16, and could easily have disposed of double that number of good young draughts suitable for farm work. We feel certain that the . demand for this class will be faHy good until farmers and contractors gel their plough teams made up, and would advise owners who mean to sell to send their lota in without delay. Pigs— At Washdyke we sold sows at 18s and 37s Oil ; 20 weaners, 8s each, nd have enquiries for good stores, Sheepskins.—A.t our usual sale on Wednesday, 23rd February, we offered and sold over 2000 skins, when the prices obtained were a slight improvement on former sales. Best butchers' and factory skins realised np to Is 9d, country skins, lGdtols7d