TRADITIONAL SHELL'9 COUNTRY

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33869, 14 June 1975, Page 11

TRADITIONAL SHELL' 9 COUNTRY

The “Hermitage” station lies a few miles east of Rotherham, rising from rolling country to the hills of the Lowry Peak Ranges. Traditionally its hills have been the home of sheep, but gradually cattle have been introduced.

Today about 1000 head of Hereford graze on its fertile lower slopes and 10.000 Corriedale sheep are spread over the rising hills.

In the home block 1400 acres are cultivated in grass and winter feed; and up to 12.000 bales of hay are produced annually.

Older methods of farming are being phased out — no longer do single men ride the trail as shepherds. There are no staff quarters as such; married men and their families live in houses built at chosen points on the property. Shearing is done by contract.

In 1919 the future of the "Hermitage” fell to the

hands of Roger, the eldest son. After Christ’s College he had attended Cambridge University, where he became captain of the Jesus College Boat Club. The First World War broke out when he was in fengland and he volunteered for service, gaining a commission in the Royal Field Artillery.

It was during a leave from France that he married. Born in England of Australian parenthood, his wife. Miss Valerie Bake we 11, had returned to England before the war, attended the Sorbonne University in Paris, and joined the literary and art world in London. Design work During the war Mrs Gould served in England as an ambulance driver. Today, at the age of 80, she lives in Christchurch enjoying a remarkably active life, having just completed 20 years as official scene designer and painter for the Repertory Theatre Society. Her years of design and

her work as a book illustrator go back to those First World War days. Included in some of the illustrating she has done in New Zealand are books of poems by the late Professor Arnold Wall. With her husband Mrs Gould entered into the life of the sheep station with vigour and enthusiasm. There was much to do; and there were difficulties in procuring necessary equipment.

Roger was a popular figure in the district, a maturing farmer and active in sport. It was a severe blow to the family, the station, and the district when, after a sudden illness in 1980, he died.

Fortunately for the family a long-term employee of the station stepped into the manager’s job with great success. He was Jock Gibb, experienced in all aspects of station work. His stewardship was to extend until 1948 —through the Depression and the war years of 1939-45, right until the only surviving son of

the family returned from overseas service.

When Jock left the station he married and

finally settled on his own farm at Mt Somers. His death occurred recently.

Three children

There were three children in the second Gould family — two sons and a daughter. They were growing up in an atmosphere of national financial stringency tempered by family security but shadowed by the impending war. When peace was shattered, Alan, the eldest son, joined the army, and was captured at Sidi Rezegh. He escaped from a prisoner-of-war camp in Italy and entered Yugoslavia, where he joined the partisan forces. He was killed. His younger brother. George, entered the Air

Force and, as a flight lieutenant, saw service with an English squadron. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. The only daughter died as a result of an aircraft accident near Blenheim in 1954.

After the war ended George (the third) returned to New Zealand. He married Miss Natalie Amyes, a daughter of Mr and Mrs G. B. Amyes, of Napier. Miss Amyes served as a Wren in Wellington during the war.

George Gould took over control of the station in 1948 and during the next 21 years many changes were made. The lack of manpower during the war years had brought about an enormous increase in the rabbit population of the area. The Amuri Rabbit. Board was formed, on which George Gould was an active member for 25 years. Panoramic view He served as chairman and member of the Amuri branch of Federated Fanners and. for relaxation.

played polo. Today he and his wife live in a spacious modern home built on the "Ben Lomond” block of the station.

From the front rooms there is a panoramic view of the rolling country towards Rotherham and the rising hills to the west; to the rear are the ranges. Love for the quiet and beauty of the Amuri countryside is very strong in Mrs Gould. The control of the station is now in the hands of their only son, Michael. Their daughter, Elisabeth, now Mrs R. Scott, lives in Christchurch, and is a qualified nurse.

Michael Gould, now aged 28, is well .qualified to be in charge at the “Hermitage.” A graduate of Lincoln College, he has spent some years gathering experience on North Island Hill country runs and South Island cropping farms. Already he has had marked success in stock competitions.

He is a polo player of great ability and was a member of the South Island

team which played the North Island in games at the Addington Show Grounds last year. Country families When he married, two names old in sheepfarming history were lizked. His wife. Janet, a daughter of Mr and Mrs P. W. Nicholls, of Christchurch, is a greatgranddaughter of William Nicholls, a one-time owner of the Molesworth and Tamdale stations who once lived at “Mona Vale.” Mrs Gould is keen on sport, particularly golf, and has had country associations since childhood. Improvements have paid dividends in stock-carrying capacity over the years. Figures for 1919 reveal that 4000 sheep and only a few cattle were’ carried; now it is 10,000 sheep and 1000 cattle.

Today the station has three married men on the payroll — Colin Salkeld (manager of “Jack's Block”), lan Graham (with 15 years service) and Mark Altoft. Some part-time work is done by local labour.

Some weeks ago when I visited the station, a mantle of green grass covered most of the countryside, the result of two successive years of favourable weather. The hills had responded to aerial top-dressing and oversowing with clover.

Well-conditioned beef stock stood deep in grass, and on a ploughed area a contractor was spreading lime. Looking back I though about the 70 years of hard work on the station—successive months of early morning activity; a busy cook-house, horses champing; the whistling of shepherds, dogs eager to get to the hills; rabbiters on the early vigil of baited trails; the patient tread of team and teamster; the hammer blows of fencers; and, above all, the ceaseless bleat of sheep disturbed from routine.

These noises, plus the modem roar of top-dressing planes and the tractors, have combined to bring great changes in the quality of the land as the years roll by.

H. T. HARTLEY, writes the second of two articles on the “Hermitage” sheep station, Rotherham.