MONTHLY CATTLE SALES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2514, 21 August 1888, Page 2

MONTHLY CATTLE SALES.

» TO THK KDITOK. Sin,—l am pleased to notice a reference has been made to the advisability, in die interests of the farming community, of the auctioneers of Waikato coming to some arrangement whereby their monthly sales at the principal centres of the district could bo held on the one day, that is that the auctioneers should all sell together. The present system of holding so many sales is a matter purely for the farmers themselves to consider. Every sale attended by a farmer means a certain expense, and if he could buy at one sale what he now has to attend three sales to obtain, he would bo a considerable gainer, both in cash and time, which latter to the farmer is certainly money. In other parts of New Zealand, notably at Chtistchurch, one sale weekly is held, and as many as seven auctioneers may be seen selling on the one day, and no difficulty whatever is experienced by bo doing. Surely then, where we have only three auctioneers some means could be adopted by them for doing what I pro pose. The same arguments would also apply to tho mode of conducting sales in Auckland. For instance if a farmer nnw wishes to patronise both auctioneers in Auckland, and has a considerable number of cattle to send down, he is continually on the move, drafting and trucking ; whereas, if only one sale were held weekly as at Christchurch, the time saved to the farmer in only trucking once a week instead of twice would be considerable. Again, the custom of running a stock train by night does not seem to have been tried here as elsewhere; but there can be no question that stock sent down in the cool of the night and run straight into the market would bo in far better condition than some I have seen sweltering all day in the heat of a summer's sun, and which, nn arrival, have to be paddocked till the following day. At Hamilton I am glad to see the thin end of the wedge has been inserted, and the two auctioneers apparently work quite hartnoni'.usly. And if two, why not a third ? or in fact as many as there are cattle pens ? I speak as I feel (you must pardon me for taking up so much of your valuable space), for liring in a district somewhat remote from these saleyards, I have experienced great difficulty in obtaining stock, simply because it was out of the question my being able to attend so many sales ; and if it is in the interests of the farmers generally to have the number of these sales reduced, it must likewise be in the interests of the auctioneers, as the former are the source from whence the latter obtain their hardly-earned commissions.—l am, &c, E. B. Cox. Taupiri, August lGth, ISSB.