FARMING ON THE PLAINS

Hawera Star, Volume L, 10 April 1930, Page 12 (Supplement)

FARMING ON THE PLAINS

(By W. T. Wells.)

OLD AND MODERN CONDITIONS

“OLD FARMER’’ RECALLS THE FAST,

One of the “Hawera Star’s” oldest subscribers, Mr W. T. Wells (“Old Farmer”), of Manaia, has been associated with tho progress o’f the district for the past half century, and in reminiscent mood recalls incidents that reveal the hardships experienced by t.he early settlers on the Waimate Plains.

“When T came to Hawera. 50 years ago the first money- 1 earned in Tara-

naki r.vas while I was waiting for the sale of the Waimate Plains farm lands, the then partner in the “Hawera. Star,” Mr .7. C. Yorke, -offering mo a ‘bob’ an hour to turn the printing press on, I think, three afternoons a week.” states Mr Wells. “Later, tlio press was driven by- a two horse-power motor, which was eventually replaced with a small steam engine, which in turn gave place to an electric motor.

“At that time, a 7cm yards from where the Central Hotel now stands, was a saleyard from where I bought, the first cattle I ever owned. These wore first-class Shorthorn cows with calves at foot and cost £3 10s each. There was a hotel right on the corner, there existed, also the Shamrock Hotel kept by Mr O’Reilly-, still of Hawera. Mr A’Court had a blacksmith’s shop where Tlnrroll’s premises now stand. However, the town has grown and changed to such an extent that it taxes the memory to . think of the -old-time sites.

“Had we suggested a lialf-century ago that wc could talk to Auckland or Wellington, that the river at Normanby- would drive .power to supplylight, heat arid energy-, or that it would bo a common thing to see people flying over .our heads, people would have said that wc were mad. They would have said the same had we predicted motor ears and motor lorries to replace horses for general transport.

CROPPING IN SOUTH TARANAKI “For some years a good deal of cropping was done after the plains were first settled and I saw the last of the old type threshing machine, which was driven by four draught horses. A steam mill owned by the late Mr C. Tait did all the work required until the late (Messrs S. and 'C. Woods brought out a new and up-to-date outfit. A start was made in dairying about this period, but cropping increased until at one time there were seven or eight mills in operation between IThwera and Wanganui. For some two. years I drove for Messrs Woods Bros.

“ Crops in. those Gays yielded well and on Mr Hawkins ’ and Mr Peacock’s farms, also Mr Hamilton’s, at Manutahi we threshed hundreds of acres of ants and wheat, averaging from GO to 75 bushels of wheat and SO bushels of oats to the -acre. Wheat seldom went over 3s and oats were about Is Gd a bushel, but not much more.

HAZARDS OF SHEEP FARMING ‘ ‘ Sheep at that time, and for some years after, did not do well, and it was nothing then to lose 50 per cent, of the hoggets. The late Mr Livingston, of Tokaora, told mo one season that he buried over 2000, while the late Mr J. Hair in one season at Waverley lost 4000. These figures will be remembered by Mr C. liawken and Mr A. Hunter, who, though they were beys, had good reason to remember the occasion. The year before Mr TTawken started farming on his awn account at Otakeho, the previous owner threw over 500 ewes over the cliff and into the sea.

The same season I saw 2809 lambs come up the coast, being one of the best lots I ever saw._ In the spring the late Mr Jas. Murpliy bought all that were left —about 700 all J;old. Calves fared very little better, and in one season the late Mr Mcltay had about 30 left out of some 90. “I often wonder how ive lived in those days. Wool was about the same price, or perhaps a penny better, hides eve re the same a s now. A pair of

shoes made to measure cost in the vicinity of l‘7s 6d, and a good suit of clothes about £5, not more. In the early days I was paying the late Mr Lewis 10 per cent, on a mortgage. The late Messrs Adamson and Pease delivered us beef on the Waimate Plains twice a week for 3d a pound Pat cows ranged from £3 to £5, fat ewes about 12s, while the land in about the year ISS6 ran to £ls and £l6 an acre. About 1900 uve paid £2l 10s for land close to Manaia, but ten years later we paid £35 an acre for land adjoining. We uvere getting roughly 8d for butterfat, so. that really when we reckon an advance on cheese at Is 7d we are receiving. based on the land values, much the same rate, but in those days we did not get anything like the present test.

“Even with the advent of freezing the future was not too bright and the innovation was cautiously received. A number of us clubbed together and sent a few carcases 'Home, and a Mr John Muir, of Inaha, consigned 15 very prime Shorthorn heifers, his net return being 15s j>cr head. I sent 15 very heavy caws, freezing nearly 7 ewt, my return being 19s. Later I netted 'Bs Gd per head on 90 prime maiden ewes consigned via Wanganui. My first fat lambs, a really good line, were sold to the late Mr Mcßae at 6s a head—a great contrast to the prices received last vear.

WHEN MONEY WAS SCARCE “Many of the young people now think that because iwe obtained land cheaply we had good times. We used to take our butter to Davidson’s store and receive 4d a pound, but not in cash, being compelled to take the value out in stores. As I remember, we had very few amusements, the races, the show and a little football being the principal attractions. There were no tearooms in the early times, but many of the farmers used to go to the Shamrock Hotel, where a good dinner could be obtained for Is. Some years rater a man started a grill-room in High Street, where one could obtain a cup of tea and bread and butter for fid, or a real good steak for Is. But many a time myself and others rode into Hawera, tied our horses up at the saleyards, and went back without anything to eat for ‘bobs’ were scarce in those days, rt was years later before tea rooms of the present type were commenced and there was nowhere that ladies might dine, except the hotel.

“To give an idea of the roads, even so late as about twenty years ago, Mr J. Mourie was running the coaches from - Manaia to Hawera, and on the fiat near fokaora he told his passengers that they had better walk or stay in at their own risk. When w r e 'were going down to Waverley it often happened that teams had to be double banked to draw the coach up Yorke’s lnll I had a pretty good team, but we used to have a spare pair of hanies and a pick and,shovel in the waggon, in case we got stuck in the many holes in the roads. What a contrast with our present bitumen surfaces.”