The Decline of Droving

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 144, 20 June 1936, Page 12

The Decline of Droving

Drovers arc one class of workers who have suffered more from motor transport than any other. First of all before stock-carrying lorries came into general use the work of the drover was made far more difficult through motor traffic, but now with lorries doing most of the haulage drovers, like Othello, find "their occupation gone.” This may not be completely, but it certainly is largely so. For some years previous to the coming of stock lorries drovers were the best paid unskilled workers in the Dominion at 20/- per day and expenes. I say unskilled as the vast majority of them had no previous training and very little experience in handling stock. They procured a few nondescript dogs, a horse and trap, and blossomed overnight into a full-blown drover to compete on equal terms with men having a lifetime’s experience of tho work. The stock owner who requires a drover even for one day should use discrimination in selecting him if it is possible to have a selection, as some drovers are expensive even supposing thy do not claim any wages. When consideration is given to tho loss in condition suffered in driving, with lambs

especially, the lorry is cheaper in tho end than drovers, and most farmers have come to realise this.