THE GOLDEN FLEECE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 280, 26 November 1931, Page 13

THE GOLDEN FLEECE.

A stx-ange tale of bygone days lias coiue to light in Australia. It seems to show that •women were at the base of Australia's golden years, for it was a woman, Mrs. John Forlonge, who imported a flock of Saxony Merinos" -into Victoria nearly a hundred years ago. What this has meant to Australia none can tell. It was Scotland, of course, which produced the pioneer, for she lived on a small property near Glasgow with her husband and two young sons, The elder boy, William, developed symptoms of tuberculosis, and she determined to migrate to Australia, With the family. Her husband agreed, but made one stipu? lation, that the boys should first go to Germany to learn the scientific management of sheep and production of wool. Mrs. Forlonge then went for four years with her two boys to Leipsic. After four years, when they were experts, and could speak German fluently, their mother turned her private fortune into cash, and sewed it up in her stays. Bankers' drafts and letter's of credit were non-existent. Then they tramped through Saxony and bought Merinos here and there by twos and threes. Round each sheep Mrs. Forlonge placed a collar, sealed with her seal. Later the sheep collected from the owners from whom they had been bought, and the family returned with them, via Hambourg, to Hull. 'Crossing England on foot, dividing their sheep, they rcached Liverpool, and William Forlonge, the consumptive boy, sailed alone for Sydney with 100 fine Merinos. His ship put into Hobart Town, Van Dieman's Land, and Colonel Arthur, the Governor, persuaded him to settle there. Shortly afterwards Mrs. Forlonge and the second boy, Andrew, again toured Saxony, where they collected another fine flock, and the whole family went off to Australia, going first to Sydney and settling eventually in Victoria. According to this tale, these sheep played a large part in the wool-producing future of Victoria.