ADDINGTON

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 March 1939, Page 3

ADDINGTON

ABSENCE OF EXPORT BUYERS. LAMBS SELL BELOW SCHEDULE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, March 8. The absence of export buyers at the weekly stock market in Addington today was felt mostly in the mutton pens. The entry in the store sheep section was about the same as that of last week. There was again a free demand caused largely, no doubt, by the light rain which fell during the progress of the sale. Decently conditioned lambs made 10s 6d to 13s, ordinary 7s to 9s, and culls down to 3s 6d. The penning of ewes included a big proportion of aged sorts, but some pens from the fairs were included, and there were good-sized lines offered. A line of two-tooths sold at 295. A pen of Romney cross ewes from the Chatham Islands, sold at 335. Several pens of sound-mouthed ewes improved to 10s and ewes bought at one of the northern fairs showed an increase of about 4s a head. With the export schedule reduced from 7 .id to 7d a lb for 36’s and under, the fat lamb section had a poorer sale. The’ shortage of feed has caused a rush of lambs to the works and competition from the export trade today was much reduced. Butchers had the market largely to themselves and the bulk of the heavy lambs went at below schedule, lighter sorts barely making export rates. The entry totalled about 1300 compared with 1500 last week.-

Again there was an entry of about 5000 fat sheep, the quality being fair. Because there was no competition from exporters and because the yarding was too large for the Christchurch trade, there was an easing in the earlier stages.. Good wethers sold well but butchers’ ewes were down by Is 6d a head, with all moderately finished sheep down by from Is to Is 6d. Good wethers were only a little cheaper in the early stages, but the easing developed as the sale progressed, for all but the best wethers. Primer pens made values approaching those of last week. Over the last two races there was a sharp recovery and prices for butchers’ sheep were practically at the opening values. Sheep prices are: —Extra prime heavy wethers, to 26s lOd; prime heavy, 19s 6d to 225; prime medium, 16s 9d to 19s 3d; and light to 13s 6d; extra prime heavy ewes, to 19s Id; prime heavy, 12s 6d to 15s 6d; prime medium, 10s to 12s; and light to 6s 6d. The entry of fat cattle was’smaller than for some sales, the total being 415, compared with 445 last week. There were comparatively few derelict cows. The general quality was better than usual and the market opened at an improvement of up to 20s a head for the best mediumweight steers and up to 10s for good heifers and cows. Undergrade sorts, however, showed only minor improvement. The sale concluded firmly. Cattle prices are:—Extra prime heavy steers, to £l5 12s 6d; prime heavy, £l3 5s to £l4 10s; prime med--ium, £ll to £l3 10s; light, to £8 15s; extra prime heifers, to £l3 2s 6d; prime, £8 10s to £9 15s; medium, £6 15s to £8 ss; and light, to £6 10s; extra prime cows, to £ll 17s 6d; prime, £6 15s to £8 10s; medium, £5 5s to £6 ss; and light and aged, to £4 15s. In the fat pig section porkers were forward in smaller numbers than last week and the sale saw better rates than the closing rates of last week. Prices remained firm till the last race, when there was an easing of from 2s to 3s a head. Choppers were in good supply, and met with an excellent demand. The bacon entry was the smallest this season, the quality generally being poor and the sale lifeless.' Values, if anything, were a shade easier.

Pig prices are:—Choppers, 56s to £5 16s; porkers, 42s 6d to 55s 6d; an average price a lb of from 6Jd to 63d; baconers, 54s 6d to £4, an average price a lb of from 53d to 6d.