COMMERCIAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2248, 1 September 1891, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

AUCTIONEERS’ REPORTS,

Messrs J. Mundell and Co. report sales for the fortnight ending Saturday, 29th August, 1891 At the Geraldine Yards, on Wednesday, 19th, the entry of stock was a large t>ne, there being yarded 3950 sheep, 45 cattle, and 24 pigs. The sale throughout was a dragging one, owing to the scarcity of feed, but of our, entry we sold the major portion at the following quotations Sheep Three-quarter-bred wetheis and maiden ewes, 15s to 16s 6d; halfbred owes, fat, 13s; merino wethers, fat, 9 3 6d, 10s fid, to 11s 6d; merino ewes in lamb, 3s 9d, 4s 6d, 5s 3d, 6s, to 6s 9d; hall and three-quarter-bred hoggets, Bs, 9s, 9s 6d, 10s 6d, to 11*. Cattle —Cows, fat, £4 to £4 10s; steers and heifers, 3-year-old, £llos, £1 Jss, to £2: yearling steers and heifers, XI to 2s 6d; dry cows, £1 to £l los. Pigs—Small stores, 9s, 9s 6d, 11s 6d, to 12s ; weaners, 2s 9d, 3s, to 4s Cd. At Temuka Live Stock Market on Tuesday, 25th, the entry was a good one, there being; yarded 3400 sheep, 110 cattle, and 54 pigr- The rain during the past week was the cause of an improvement in demand for stock as the following prices W “stoep-TW< 1 wethers and maiden ewes, prime fat, Xwi bd, l/s, 17s 10d to 21s 9d; half-bred wethers and maiden ewes, fat, 14s, 15s, 15s 6d, to 16 s; half-bred hoggets, 10s 6d, to llj; halfbred ewes, in lamb, lOstolls ; cross-bred, . do do, 8s lid to 9s Id. Cattle—Steers and heifers, fat, *o, £5 10s, to £6 ; heifers, fat, £3 17s 6d, U, to £4 17 6d; cows, fat, £4, £4los, to ±5 , Swtspriegirrg, 4 »10a, to«;dry cows £lloa to £llss 5 steers and heifers, 2-year*,olds,, £1 15s to £2 bs; yearling steers and heifers, £1 to £1 6a. . Pigs—Baconers, 32s 6d to 375; breeding mm, 21s, 265, to 34s jsmallstoresTs, Ssf to Bs9d; weaners, 3s, 3s 6d, 4s 6d, *°Sheap3kma and Fat-Wa hdd onruaual fortnightly sale at the 7 stores of the

National M. and A. Co., of N.Z., Limited, Timaru. The catalogue was a good one, and bidding brisk, with prices a long way in advance of our last sale. Butchers’ crossbred skins sold at 6s, 6s 3d, 6s 6d, to 6s 9d; do merinos, 3s, 3s 6d, to 4s ; crossbred skins, dry, 6d to 6£d per lb. Fat, 11s, 11s 6d, to 12s per owt. Clearing Sales—We held a sale of furniture and effects on Thursday, 20th, on account of Mr W. Binley, a satisfactory clearing being the result. On Friday, 31st, we conducted a sale of live and dead stock and furniture on account of Mr G. Rae. The day was wet, but in spite of rain the people turned out in large numbers, and by the results everyone came with the intent to purchase, as the bidding was brisk, every lot offered being sold under keen competition. Young draught horses sold at . £l6 5s to £2O 10s ; aged and inferior, £6, £8 10s, to £l2. Implements, etc., also sold at exceedingly good prices.

Mr Moss Jonas reports as follows: —

In spite of the influence that scarcity of feed is supposed to exert on the market for. live stock, his pales show no diminution either in number of entries made and sales effected, or in prices for first-class lines. There is, as he confidently asserted that there would be some time ago, a hardening of values, and it may be as certainly sure that from the present time till after shearing fewer good sheep will be coming forward for sale, and somewhat higher prices will rule for them. Beef is probably at about its best figure, and for reasons patent to everyone it is not likely to recede in value yet awhile. Pleasant Point—He held his usual monthly sale at these yards on Monday, August 3rd, and it was attended by a large number of farmers and dealers.; He succeeded in selling every line entered at the following values:—279 2-tqoths at 13s 7d, 150 do at 15s 6d, 160 do at lls 3d, 90 fat sheep at 14s 6d, 40 do at 16s 6d, 50 ewes in lamb at 12s lOd, 130 2-tooths at 18s 3d, 50 ewes and wethers at 15s 9d, 112' merino wethers at 7s Bd, 16 halfbred ewes at 10s lid, 100 do at 8s 6d, 171 do at 8s 3d, 1 pet lamb at 15s, 130 crossbred ewes at lls 6d, 4 head of cattle at £2 15s, 1 fat cow at £3 7s 6d, 4 head of fat cattle at £4 15s, 7 heifers at £ll7s 6d. Sheepskins, &c. The regular fortnightly sale was held on Wednesday, when he offiered a large number of good lines,,.and having a good muster of buyers the skins realised good prices—merinos 2s 6d to 4s 2d, crossbreds 4s to 5s lOd (one lot of butchers’ skins bringing as much as 6s), halfbreds 4s 3d to 5s sd, pelts 6d to Is 6d, fat 9s to 12s, according to weight and quality. During the last four weeks he has sold privately about 15,000 factory skins from 5s up to 6s 9d. Washdyke Yards—At these yards he sold 42 fat ewes at 12s, 43 do at 12s 6d, 7 head of cattle at £5 ss, and 2 cows at £5 2s 6d.

Messrs Gracie, Maclean, and Co. report for the past fortnight, as follows : Horses—There is a fair demand for young and sound draughts suitable for farm work, but there are very few of this class offering, and for the most part our entries are made up of aged and inferior sorts. We quote medium to good draughts at from £lO 10s to £22 10s, inferior £6 to £B, Hacks—There is not much enquiry for this class, and prices are nominal. Sheep—There is still a large business doing in freezing sheep, and the works are kept fully employed. At the different yards average entries have come forward. At Washdyke we sold fat ewes at 13s 6d, to 13s lid, crossbred hoggets at 12s 6d to 12s 9d. Cattle —The only transactions in fat are for the requirements of the local trade. We have sold heifers at £4 to £s|ss, cows at £3 10s to £6 15s, and fair quality bullocks at £5 5s to £6 12s 6d. Privately we sold 12 head stores. A large line of young cattle and cows has been disposed of in the district. Skins—At our regular sales the usual number of buyers were present, and prices this week were a decided improvement on former sales. We sold at auction 1835 butchers’ and country skins at—for best crossbreds 6s 9d to 7s 6d, medium 4s 6d' to 5s 3d, inferior to medium 2s to 4s, dry half and crossbred at 5d to 6Jd per lb, merinos, medium to good, 4s to 5s 3d, and privately 3900 freezers. Hides —All consignments to hand have been cleared at former quotations. Fat Several small lots to hand, making in all over 2 tons. We have sold ,at from X2s 6d to 14s 6d per cwt.