FEATHERSTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 97, 1 March 1879, Page 2

FEATHERSTON.

(From an occasional Correspondent.) : . Featherston, Fob. 23. From an early hour on Wednesday morning tho .various roads leading into Featherston presented quite a lively appearance from the flocks of sheep, heads of cattle, and herds of horses which were being driven along to be entered for tho opening sale in the new yards at Featherston, and as the hour of the sale approached a motley crowd of fully 200 buyers, Boilers, drovers, and mere spectators had assembled, f.nd were busying themsolves to inspect tho stock, which by this time had been all securely berthed in their various pens and yards, Punctually at noon Mr F, H. Wood, being the successful drawer of So, 1 sale, mounted the fence, and after a few brief remarks congratulating the Company on ! tksubstantial appearanco of the yards and the evident prospects, of an extensive business, proceeded to business with the sale of sheep, of which there were various flocks, numbering in tho aggregate a little over 1,000. After Mr Wood had sold his lots, Mr lorns, of tho firm of lorns and Fergusson, Masterton, exercised his lungs as auctioneer, and we are glad to be able to say that nearly all the sheep havo been sold, either then or privately immediately afterwards, at satisfactory prices, Tho sale of cattle elicited some keen competition among tho buyers, and they wero all sold at prices which, although perhaps not as high as may bo expected to rule in the winter months, cannot fail to be highly satisfactory to vendors. • The number'of cattle was about 70 all told, and there were among them some really fine beeves which would recommend themselves iu any market, The sale of horses then commenced, and as is always the case, occupied a considerable time. The Company had provided a luncheon at Wilson's Empire Hotel, and as a groat many of tho buyers wero desirous of returning to Wellington by the afternoon train, an adjournment was arranged at 2 o'clock, with tho understanding that tho sale should be continued after luncheon,. About sixty persons sat down to table in the spacious dining-room of the Empire Hotel, and after doing ample justice to the good things provided by Host Wilson, Mr H, S, Wardoll, who occupied the Chair, supported by Mr H, H, Beetham and W, 0 Buchanan, rose and addressed the company. Ho could not let tho opportunity go by (said Mr Wardoll) without briefly referring to tho objects for which tho Wairarapa Sale Yards Company had beon established. He was glad to Bee both buyers and sellers so well represented at the first sale held in the yards. It was indeed gratifying to tho Directors of tho Company to notico among the first who sent stock into the yards for sale such gontlemen as C. R. Bidwill, H,' H. Beetham, D. McMaster, S. Yenncll, and others whose names were so intimately bound up with the prosperity' of the Valley, and he trusted in this to see a guarantee of tho future success of the undertaking. At the same time ho would mention that the advantages of establishing a regular, fortnightly market for the sale of all kinds of stock could not fail to be appreciated by the buyers, and ho was glad to notice that tho Wellington trade ' was represented here by such substantial names as Messrs Gear and Barber. He asked the company to fill their glasses and drink the health of the promoters of the Company, and also that of tho trade, coupled with the names of Mossrs Gear and Barber. Mr Barber briefly responded, thanking them for the kind manner in which their names had been received, and expressed a hope that the yards would prove a success;. he at the same pointed out thatit would be necessary to educate both buyers and sellers to the altered mode of doing business, He believed, however, that this would work itself right in. a very little time, and concluded by proposing "prosperity to the Sale Yards Company,"' The health of tho contractor, Mr Cave, was then proposed in very flattering terms and as a number of the guests desired to leavo for Wellington by the train, a very pleasant gathering broke up, satisfied that an event important to'both tho Wairarapa and Wellington had taken place.