WAIKATO STOCK AUCTIONEERS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2386, 25 October 1887, Page 3

WAIKATO STOCK AUCTIONEERS.

TO lIIK HIUTdII. Sill, May I cl avo a little -pace in ynnr Valuable columns In expose 111!', treatment of farmcis liy nur two I.teal firms nf uuctinimurs. Scene one : IMi Tuesday last at Hunter's sale, at Olianpo. We have Mr MeN'icl entente.' info eoio;ictiti'in with tin: farmers rij'lit and left. 1 will quote only Ivor ca.-es that came miller my own per'-oiial ohs ovation. A pen of sheep was offered on account of the Thames Valley Company. They were passed at seven shilling's, eight shillings being the reserve. A representative of the company lining present saiil *. Sell this lot, hut no more. 1 made an advance of threepence, ami they were hunched down to mo. < >ll making enquiry as to who the 7s man was, t found it was Mr McNicol. A little further on was a small pen of fat sheep. Mc.N'iei.l said, “ Von let me alone for these.” I did so, thinking ho might want them for some older. They were bought hy him. Imagine my surprise at seeing him turn round and soli them to a butcher for a paltry advance of lid per head, and, smiling, say ho had made 10s on his bargain without moving them. Scene two tahes place at A, T.nchlaml and Co.'s saio on Saturday last, when some three hundred ewes and lambs were bring sold. Thu auctioneer was stuck at IDs lid, the reserve being 11s. I was ashing the auctioneer as to the genuinem>, of the bidding, intending if all was straight to tahe the sheep. Whilst tins conversation was going on Hunter steps up and says ‘T will tahe the sheep.” If those sheep were purchased hy Hunter to fill an order, no,'one could say a word about it, but when Mr Hunter was confronted with his action in this matter lie replies, “ is imtiny money as good as yours,” and has not ho as good a right to hoy those sheep as myself. 1 think the operations between the auctioneer and the t.irmei become a little .strained, and must come to the conclusion that the proper stylo for each farm should be auctioneers mill dealers. Truly the farmers of Waikato are a long-suffering lot, 1 question if there i- another community under the snn that would tolerate, much nmre support any in m or firm that resorted to this line of business, for neither buyer or seller can have the ’ightestcunfidence in them, hence this hanging lire in the bidding at our sales, wh n stock are not near their value,—l am, sir, Yours truly, CKuum: 1,. Ci.aiih. Cambridge, August tilth, 1.^7.