SHEEP FOR WAIKATO.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 29, 3 February 1934, Page 13

SHEEP FOR WAIKATO.

INFLUX FROM EAST COAST.

SPECIAL TRAINS DAILY,

Tlie fact that a total of 25,000 store sheep, mostly breeding ewes from East Coast districts, have been sold at three special stock sales at the Morrinsville saleyards during the past week gives some indication of the annual influx of sheep to the Waikato, which influx is now at its height.

In addition, great numbers of store sheep that were brought forward some months ago have been arriving at Morrinsville and other stations to the order of sheep farmers. Two special sheep trains passed through Morrinsville during the. past week with sheep from the East 'Coast for Tirau, and another train went to the Cambridge line.

For several weeks special sheep trains have been arriving at Morrinsville from Taneatua almost daily, and no time has been lost in sending the empty sheep trucks back for fresh loads. The convenience to Waikato farmers of having the East Coast railway is indicated in striking fashion by the huge volume of the store sheep traffic each summer. Sheep driven overland from Gisborne and Tokomaru Bay to Taneatua, the present railhead, are taken in a few hours over tlie 100 miles of railway to Morrinsville, which is regarded as the most central Waikato town for store sheep sales.

A large proportion of the 25,000 store sheep sold at Morrinsville sales during the past week was retrucked by the purchasers to other- Waikato railway stations, so that the stock-carrying capacity of the railways has been tested to the full. Special arrangements had been made by the railway staff and stock agents to move this great stream of sheep, and everything has worked smoothly. Long goods trains made up of loaded or empty sheep trucks are to be noticed daily in the'Waikato. In a few weeks the rush will be over.