PIONEERING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 41, 12 November 1907, Page 2

PIONEERING.

REARED A FAMILY ON EICHT SHILLINGS A YEAR. A BACKBLOCKS YARN. Wo liavo hoard of a book oiititlcd "How to Jivo on 4d. a Day—and earn it." Wo commend to the notbo of the author and of our roadors this story of a Now Zealaud pioneer's family, who lived on a shilling a year each, and earned it, and built up a magnificent homestead. The truth of the story is vouched for by our 'travelling correspondent, who writes:— Some time ago I was staving the night Jii ,? ,l a ™ er m wl >at was a real "backblock district. After tea we drew our chairs up to tho fire, and got to talking of our experiences when we each -took up our bush sections. Ho said: "I can tell you what very few liavo had to go through." . Wo had already related many strance episodes, attendant on starting a bush farm. "All right," I said, "go 011. "Well, when I first took up this section, an Li.p. or 200 acres, there v/vre myself, my wife, and six youngsters. Y\ r o bought an old horsn on which we packc-d as much as wo could, and, between us, carried the rest. Thero was a road for a few miles from the township, and for the rest of tho way a track cut through the bush. When we at last got to the section—nearly all bush, and about 20 acres of scrub—the first thing was to pitch tho tent. We had to make a bit of clearing for it that was 18 years since—and the only tools we had wore a slasher, ouo axe, a handsaw, and a hammer. ' The' next thing was to make a punga whare, thatched with scrub. Our total'cash spendings for the first twelve months amounted to-eight shillings 1" "Get out!" I said. ! 'How in the world did .you live? What about flour, tea, sugar, and other necessaries?" "Ah!" ho said, "I knew I should give you a startler. All the flour wo had in 12 months was 2/5 pounds.- There was any amount of wild cattlo, pigs, and pigeons. .We lived on beef till we got tired, of it. Then I used to shoot a pig occasionally." After we were tired of pork, we had pigeons." "Well, you niust have had more'tea'than you took." ' ' "No, wo made soup and drank that." "But surely you must liave needed sugar, especially with children?" "Oh, no; thero was any amount of wild honey in tho bush, which took tho place of sugar." Then tho old man's eyes twinkled! and lie said: "We had just two bullets left, and enough powder to make two shots. Wo had been living for some timo on beef, when I thought 1 would go and shoot a pig. I hadn't gone far from the whare whon 1 camo across a real fat cow. I could not resist .tho temptation to let fly, but sho cleared olf. A little further on I saw a fine calf. I had my last shot at it,_ and down it dropped. As there was no shingle or metal in tho district to make bullets, I was done. So back to. the whare I wont, and on my way I set up a pig. Hero was the pork I set out to get, but (no moro ammunition. However, I found a little powdor .in a tin, and then went back to tho calf, cut it open to see if the bullet .was inside, and by good luck it had not gonq through.' I cut it out, charged my gun again, went , back to where I had seen tho pig, and shot it a little further on." • This pioneer has now a well-built house, good outbuildings, and a nice orchard; his wife is very fond of flowers, and keeps her garden well. Altogether, he has a very'comfortable home. On the 200 acres he wintered 500 sheep, growing a nico lot of oaten sheaf hay for their winter food, and" for feeding his l'ew cows. He does not owe a penny to anybody, his youngest boy is still at home-with him, and he has helped the others in taking up sections of their own. It used to take him two days to go:.to the nearest store;.and he and' hissVife^hac}"''to -.tea-clr-tho children what lessons' they were capable of imparting. When the. children's boots got.tpo small, on were worn out, they went, barefooted! Surely settlers dike I ,these deserve tie. full. measure of the hard-earned:incromont which they produced. -' ' ..... ;. " : BIG; SALE OF STOCK. j.' ■_ Ono-of the .'biggest-cattle fairs ever held in the Wairarapa district is to take place-to-morrow (Wednesday), when Messrs. Abraham and Williams (as . advertised.. in another column) will pass 2000. heqd • under the hammer at Mast-erton. < OUR DIARY. WOOL SALES. Wellington.—Nor. 15, Deo. 6, Jan. 17, Feb. 21. Christehurch.—Nov. 21, Deo.-12, Jan. 8, s Feb. 4. Auckland. —Nov. 27, Jan. 14, Feb. 18. Duncdiri. —Dec. 19, Jan. ' 23, Feb. 14, March o. Timaru—Nov. 27, Jan. 3; 30, Feb. 27. Napier.—Dec. 3, Jan. 14, Fob. 19., v Gisborne. —Dec. 5, Feb. 20. SHOWS. ' 'Nov. 13, 14.—Wanganui. Nov. 14. —Courtenay. Nov. 14. —Waimate. Nov. 14. 15. —North Otago. Nov. 15. —Otago Contral. Nov. 19, 20. —Blenheim. Nov. 20, 21. —Egmont. Nov. 20. — Horowhenua (Horticultural), Otaki. _ Nov. 20, 21. —Wairarapa. Nov. 21, 22. —Oamaru. Nov. 26, 27. —Nelson. Nov. 27, 28.—New Plymouth. Nov. 28, 29.—Otago. Nov. 29, 30. —Auckland. Dec. 5, 6. —Gore. Dec. 10, 11.—Southland. Jan. 25, 26.—Wairoa. Feb. 4, s.—Feilding. Fob. 18,19. —Masterton. Fob. 26. —Wpodville. Invercargill.—Dec. 17, Jan. 27, Feb. 11. March 5, 6. —Waikato Central (Cambridge). March 25, 26.—Horowhenua (Horticul- • ' tural), Otaki; „ April.—Taieri. ' ' MEETINGS.Agricultural Associations, etc. Nelson, second Saturday of each month; Wanganui, second and fourth Wednesdays; Masterton, second Saturday; Wairarapa, third Friday; Manawatu, second Tuesday: