YOUNG SHEARERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 15 April 1944, Page 3

YOUNG SHEARERS

NEW SOUTH WALES FARM , Sydney, April 5. When a struggling farmer, Mr George Graham, of the mallee country, in the south-west corner of New South Wales, was unable to obtain labour to shear his 1400 sheep, the breach was filled by his three children, Georgette, aged 14, Delphine, aged 13, and their 11-year-old brother, Gearge. Mr Graham has been unable to shear since 1939, when his leg was smashed in an accident, but he had always been able to get outside labour Faced with ruin this year, he turned to his children, who with youthful confidence, declared they could do the job, although they had never more than watched the men at work. The two girls and boy took time off from school, learned to use the shearing machines, and each night went to bed with arms and limbs aching from bending and handling the heavy and struggling sheep. By the time they had shorn 1000 of the flock "they had become experts. The local clergyman helped them to shear the remaining 400. As a reward for their labours, “the world’s youngest shearers” were sent to Melbourne on their first holiday. Mr and Mrs Graham could not afford to go. but the management of the private hotel where the children were accommodated promised to care for them.