HIGH-COUNTRY SHEEP STATIONS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 93, 13 January 1939, Page 11

HIGH-COUNTRY SHEEP STATIONS

Marlborough Estates

SUGGESTED FARMING BY

CROWN

Dominion Special Service.

BLENHEIM. January 12.

A suggestion that the Molesworth and Tarndale Stations, well-known Marlborough high-country properties, should be farmed by the Crown as cattle runs was advanced by Mr. Meachen, M.P., who recently, at the request of the Minister of Lands, has been making close investigations into the general question of high-country farming in the district and who will place the in formation before the Minister when be visits Marlborough this month.

Widely divergent views are held both as to the past history of Moles worth and Tarndale and also as to what would be tbe best method of running them in future. Mr. Meachen said that the properties were first operated as cattle runs, and reliable information suggested that sheep were first introduced to Tarndale in 1868 and to Molesworth in 1871 or 1872. Today, lie said, it was stated by many that.it would be very difficult to reacclimatize sheep to these areas, but when Tarndale was stocked in 1868, it appeared, the sheep were taken from Dumgree and were halfbred Cheviots. Merinos were put on Molesworth three years later, and it was believed that these too came from the lower holdings. In both cases the stock did well, apart from an annual loss by snowstorm, a loss which had continued through the years in proportion to the amount of bad weather experienced. These losses in some years assumed alarming figures. In 1911, when tire stock totalled 42,000 sheep and 400 head of eattle, the sheep lost numbered, 11,400. In 1912 the loss was 18,980, and in 1913 it was 8480—a total loss in three years of more than 39,000. Perhaps the largest amount of sheep carried was in 1907, 47,500. Tlie problem now was what was to be done with the runs in future. First, it appeared necessary to rest the properties to enable tuslock and grass to establish themselves again, and at the same time carry on with the work of rabbiting. The sowing of the new grass, known as crested wheat, reported to be very suitable for rigorous climates, irlso seemed desirable, particularly because it seemed to combine the virtues of being nutritive and of having deep root, which would prevent snow melting in crevices made by ice and thus causing serious erosion. The opinion was held by many people that when the pastures had been sufficiently rested the properties could be subdivided into three, in which case, of course, it would be necessary to fence, a tremendous undertaking on such properties, where, 100, there was an absolute scarcity of timber of tiny kind. Farmed by Crown in Meantime. It had also been suggested, said Mr. Meachen, and he thought the suggestion had a good deal of merit, that Molesworth should be used as one block and, for the meantime at any rate, farmed by the Crown as a cattle run. Cattle farming appeared to carry many advantages as against sheep farming for high country like that, and it would not affect the very necessary rehabilitation of the pastures. Cattle did not graze as, close to the ground as sheep, and the close grazing of sheep had been largely responsible for the erosion that had taken place. Another advantage was that cattle were much more mobile, and with approaching snowstorms could be transferred considerable distances. Still another factor, and a very important one, was that, mainly because of the competition of artificial silk, the price realized by high-country farmers for their fine wools had gradually narrowed down till today it was little more than on a parity with the coarser variety. The considerably higher price received in tbe past enabled the high-country men to meet the higher costs of farming on this class of country.

The problem of fencing might not arise, as it might be possible to conduct the runs much in the same way as many of the large Australian runs were done, through the employment of boundary riders. Eventually, perhaps, the properties could be subdivided and let to private lessees, but in the meantime it seemed desirable that the Crown, to which in any case the property reverted when abandoned last year, should derive the benefit of any profit that could be made through eiittie-farming while the runs were being rehabilitated. Mr. Meachen said that the opinions were his own personal views, formed after long consultation with a number of men experienced in high-country farming. His suggestions would be presented shortly to the Minister.