HAAST CATTLE

Hokitika Guardian, 21 May 1937, Page 6

HAAST CATTLE

DRIVEN TO OTAGO (Per Press Association —Copyright). DUNEDIN, May 20. After being driven from the West Coast, a journey that occupied weeks, a line oi' about 170 head ol bullocks entered the store - cattle pons at Burnside on Tuesday. The? cattle were reared on a station at Haast, and were recently purchased by D. C. Aubrey and brought to the local market to be sold, the demand here for well-bied caht ® being superior to that on the West Coast. . ■ A party of six drovers, including Messrs I). CC and Jack Aubrey, sot out on. their journey of 300 miles on the Tuesday after Easter. At the start bad weather was 14 inches of rain falling during the first fortnight. Floods were a source of trouble, the drovers experiencing some difficulty in negotiating th, • ■ "rivers with their cattle. About 10 head of cattle were lost as the paitv crossed the Haast Pass. They fell from the track and were either killed or drowned. Mr Jack Aubrey and bis horse at one time were caught in flood wafers and washed downstream. He was separated from tlie other drovers all night, but, made his way back in the morning. The crossing of .theHaast river presented another ■difficulty. and boToro the cattle could be taken to the other side the men remained encamped at Burke hut for a week. Coming over the Pass the men slept at night in huts, shifts of two men taking turns to guard the cattle. When the party oventu-r allv reached Makarova three of the drovers turned hack, leaving three to carry on under greatly improved conditions. Mr D. C. Aubrey came as far as Pembroke, and there left Air Jack Aubrey and one companion to finish the journey together. From there on the cattle were accommodated at night in paddocks, while the men found rest in hotels along the route.

After tlie party bad been away from the station for a few weeks and nothing had boon heard of them on the other side of the pass, fears were entertained for their safety, so an aeroplane was sent out to try to locate then and bring back news to their relatives and friends. In the meantime, the men had Become short of food, but fresh supplies were received from Mr J. C. Mercer, who piloted the search aeroplane.