Pahiatua.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2791, 6 January 1888, Page 2

Pahiatua.

[From Our Own Correspondent,] (By Telegraph), , . • ; Pahiatua, January, 5.. The Bush fire passed right through the Village Settlement this morning, No buildings were burned, but a good deal of grass seed was. Mr Jessop tells me that he has lost all his feed. Matsh's Sawmill narrowly escaped. Yuile's mill is still in danger, and a number of men are employed carrying water to put out the sparks as they fall. The fire is all round the mill, Several buildings near the mill are in danger.

MMJRICEVILLE EOAD BOARD,

The Ordinary monthly meeting of the Mauriceville Road Board wa3 held on Saturday last. Present: Messrs William Jessen (Chairman), Charles JVirsberg, John Bannister, and Gunder Gundei'son. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Correspondence was read from Mr H. W; Jackson asking to be excused from attending 011 account ofof illness; from Mr C. Battes applyiug to have some accrued thirds spent near his house; from Mr 11. M. Galloway, applying for a track to his section No 18, Kopuaranga; from Property Tax Department re Crown and Native Land rates ; from County clerk re pound; from Commissioner Crown Lands re deferred payment thirds ; from Treasury re Crown and Native Lands Ratiug Act of 1882; from Receiver of land revenue re vouchers; from Mr J. Devonshire applyiug for appointment of ranger, Resolved that tbo Chairman be authorised to deal with the Council with regard to the pound; that a special meeting be held on the 24th January to consider applications re .'expenditure of deferred payment thirds ; Tljat the applications, from W. Vile and J. Devonshire for the position ' of Hanger be held over till next ordinary meeting. That tenders be called for 10 chains metalling on the Mauriceville West road, The Treasurer reported a credit balance of £l2B 9s 7d. Aooounts amounting to £3O 5s 6d were passed for payment. "Messrs Gunderson aud Bannister were appointed to sign 'cheques, This concluded the business. '

MESSRS LOWES & lORNS STO.CK & PRODUCE REPORT FOR DECEMBER, 1887.

The live stock aud meat markets are very disappointing. It was hoped that with the abundance of feed ushered in with the fine spring, and prospects of plentiful feed that all stock would have gone up in price, and that sales in sheep and cattle wouldliave been more free,and the confidence of buyers restored.. Sheep did sell better for a time, but with .the end of shearing they ran down again, and dull prices reign again excepting for good wethers for-freezing, which class of sheep are very scarce, ai]d consequently much in demand; the same, applies to stores.' All ewes excepting good dry: sort? are dull of sale. The' .trmsactioi)s 'in paile have been far behind those of' previous seasons, the backward spying keeping etook W (

and the fear of a dry. season-now caus-; ing "grazei's ancl-dealera io be very shy, of purchasing. Beef has been> much low than previous years, f a: slight; demand springing-up about Christmas time, but the demand' was very temporary. Horses have , been very.; difficult, to quit. . Before, shearing a v demand sprung up for a cheap class of. hack, but the prices were very low r and the detaand short-lived. . Good light horses have commanded a fair figure, but . the demand has been very limited. Young draughts and'.farm sorts have sold at only medium rates. Our sales in cattle during the month reached about . 500 headincluding beef, afew large beasts for Christmas weighing 1000 to 1200 lbs made from £7 to. £7 ss, but ordinary beef did not go" beyond £5105,. or 15s the lOOlbs: cow beef L Bto LI Store steers large and of good quality hive been enquired for, a few pens reaching as high , its L 4' 4si-while ordinary 8-years-olds ranged from L 8 to Jj3 10s;'' small, steers from ,18 months to two years,' from 85 to, 50s} Yearlings, 2os; Calves, 12s to 15s,' AH kinds of female stock have been difficult to quit, empty cows and. heifers making 80s to 403, while forward cows speyed did not make beyond 45ato 50s.

In sheep our sales totalled some 4,000 besides private ; transactions. Wethers throughout have soldfreely, but ewes, unless dry and.forward, have ruled very- low. Pew, young sheep have come into the market, but'should the dry weather continue, we : expect to see all old sheep .rushed in, when low- prices will be the rule.. Fat wethers, suitable for freezing, ranged from 6s and 6s 6d to 7s. Butcher's wethers, from 5s 6d for small, to 6s 9d for goodfat ewes ranged from 4s 9d_to ss, ordinary to 5s 9d for heavy weights. Store wethers have sold well, the prices obtained leaving little margin, between the price for fat, and the cost of. their, keep in the meantime their figures have ranged from 4s 6d to 5s for 2 tooth to 5s 8d to 5s 8d for 4-tooth. The above quotations being for crossbreds and long wooled. Ewes ,in the wool with lambs at foot ranged from 7s 6d to 8s lid. being mostly old ewes pretty well done up. Fat lambs came down rapidly from 5s 6d and Os to 4s; few sales to report. The market for pigs has been very steady, being accounted for by the plentiful supply of milk with the abundance of grass. Porkers ranged from 14s to 21s,rough sorts (slips), 10s to 12s, small pigs from 5s to 10s 6d, and scarce,. - In horses the market has not been very active, a slight enquiry for farm sorts only lasted two Saturdays, the prices for this class being low. Iu trap horses the figures were a little better, but iu hacks the prices obtained were ruinous. Poultry markets have been very dull, and we have few transactions to report, not many fowls coming for-, ward, although all moved off. The grain markets have been very quiet, holders being auxious to quit stocks in view of the next stock. coming in. In potatoes we have little to report, the old crop being about done, new potatoes commenced at 10s, and ran down to 6s and 7s. ' '.