A BACKBLOCK'S FARM.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13935, 18 July 1917, Page 3

A BACKBLOCK'S FARM.

WANTED, A MANAGER

A wcMnown resident of Auckland, who occupies a public position, recently put in an application in response to an advertisement for a farm manager. The following reply, written by the proprietor's solicitors, may be of interest as throwing a side-light on life in the back-blocks:—

Dear Sir—Re farm managership: Your application to hand, Wc must first of all apologise for the delay in making a reply to your application, but so many have been received thatit has been quite impossible to reply to each immediately, The property consists of 2000 acres of hilly bush country, It is situated 10 miles

from ,on a road which is suitable ~for vehicular traffic in the summer. During the winter the journey has to be made 011 horseback. The nearest railway station is • (19 miles). The house consists of a one-roomed whare, 12ft by 14ft, with the few conveniences to be found in a new settlement. What-our client requires is a, working manager, 011 c who will attend to repairs/of all fences, attend to all stock, at present amounting to some 4000 sheep and about 150 head of cattle. The manager would be required to do all the sheep work, including erutehing, Shearers are. o£| course employed at shearing time, and at odd times casual labour is employed. Applicant would have to attend to all buying and selling of stock, but 'this is to be subject to ouv client's attovnev. As salary our client h

prepared to pay £2.'!o per annum, manager to keep himself. As some of the applicants have large families it is quite obvious that the position would not suit such, but we shall be glad to hear from you again should you

think the position might suit you." The recipient o'f the above has not; for equally "obvious" reasons, ' replied, deeming himself utterly incapable of performing the duties enumerated, however patriotically desirous of relieving men for active service in the war.—Auckland Star.