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AMONG THE COCKSFOOT.

A HOLIDAY TRIP TO BANKS' PENINSULA, CANTERBURY.

By Obskrvek. VI. The old-fashioned method of using the flail is the common practice all over the Peninsula, and it would be hard to find an instrument better suited on the whole for the purpose so far as strength and lightness go, though it requires a great deal of strength and endurance in the use of it. The flail iv general use is made of two stout and dry pieces of wood of different lengths, the longer one measuring about sft, and being about the thickness of a bullock whip handle, to the end of which is affixed a loop of raw hide. The other stick is somewhat thicker, and only half the length of the first one, and to it another piece of hide is fastened, oue end of the hide being put through the loop left at the end of the longer stick, aud then tied in the same manner as tho first was done, sothat one loop may be within the other, and leave tho short stick enough play to swing over the head, while the longer one is kept in tho tanis. There are a few— but very few—machines used for threshing. „ The principal thing required iv a machine is lightness combined *itn strength, so that it may be carried about liy at most two men. On tb.9 hills everything must bo moved from place to place by manual Hour, aud tho majority of machines that have toeu tried, though they thresh the seed we'll enough, arc found wanting in these essential points, The grass when cub must remain lying in tho sun lor several days, uti til it is so dry 'hilt it cau scarcely bear lifting up without a quantity of seed being left on the ground. This na y appear at first sight a wasteful method to a 'lopt, but I may explain that tho gain in time "«' the seed comes out freely makes up for My loss sustained by its rips condition. It is ojfiug to tho care necessary in handling that foe machine has to be brought to whore the ?«<;<l is lying, and if it were possible to tio it up I ln bundles, as is clone in tho case of oats and aud have il brought to the machine, JJgWness would not be such a great desideratum, wt to carry a heavy thresher every one or two hundred yards means more time and labour lost foan would be saved by its employment. The S? M is threshed in largo cloths, usually made ou ' of sacks, so that none of it may be lost, and usually the smoothest place that can be found is jtohen for a threshing floor. One floor takes all •deseed within a radius of one or two hundred Mas, and when that is finished is then removed '° bother place, so that the carriers have not ootetbau that distance to go for their load nt •"y time. The bags iv which the seed is carried w iuo threshers (usually two for each floor) are b,u J ' tvi ° sac^ ! 'i each split down tho side and jWom and sown together, the ends of the sacks ™ facilitate the handling and the carrying of JJ c bags. We had the whole of Mr Montague's s"s ana girlp, numbering six, helping to carry J™ l1; was uprising to see the quick way in ; »Q!ea they got about, aud they did not seem to i , E o easily fatigued as any of us, especially uose who were accustomed to the plains. For th r r? son koj' s can earn as much a3 men during ;!?g time » which Übually lasts half as long en-j , ? wbea tlle same number of men are s geu m it. The whole of our gang except

four left to go to the harvest on thfe plains, however, and this lengthened Out the thteshihg time considerably. Our two threshers, with the rest of us carrying in to keep them going, knocked out from 15 to 17 bags each day, working from 8 o'clock in the morning till 6 o'clock at night. The seed closes up and will not come out well before that time in the morning or after 6 o'clock in the evening, and indeed, unless the sun is shining or hot winds blowing, no threshing is done, for everything must be as dry a 9 possible. Luckily we had only one wet day in the whole season, though that was sufficient to damp tho seed enough to make it require two days to dry again before threshing could be pro 1 ceeded with.

As a rule the seed which wo threshed during the day was at night bagged, sewn up, and carried down to the road by the men, where it was packed on horseback and taken to the house. After we had finished threshing we shifted our camp down to the house, where the seed was stowed, which had to be cleaned before our job was finished* For this purpose, until lately, a coarse sieve first and then a fine one were used, but there was a loss of seed this way, besides which it was very laborious work \ so now, where there is a good quantity, it is either taken to a machine, where they charge from 4d to 6d per bag, or the property owner, as was the case with Mr Montague, purchases a machine, and cleans it with his own labour. These machines cost from £8 to £10 each, and are very simple in construction and by no means heavy. Two days were sufficient to put through the whole of the seed, and then our work on the Peninsula was finished, and I must say it was with the greatest regret I saw the last bag filled and sewn up, for once tho feeling of fatigue had worn off after the first day or two, and I had got into the groove of work, I found myself getting better in health with rapid strides, and my spirits rose in a corresponding degree, but this I attribute to the effects of the healthy climate almost as much as the work.

When pay-day came I found that though I had not so much to draw as the rest, still my cheque was sufficient to be satisfactory to me — viz., over £6 for about three weeks' work, to which must be added my board and lodging — say another £3 — and it would have been more had I arrived at the beginning of the cutting, for this is the time when the amount earned runs up quickest. Mr Montague gave nae a hearty invitation to come down again the following season, and said he would keep a place for me should I decide to accept his offer, and he also said that he hoped to be able to give me as much as the best cutters got. Having thanked him I took my departure, very sorry indeed to leave the place where I had spent so many happy hours. Not having been to Akaroa, I decided upon going there for a day or two to make myself acquainted with its beauties, and perhaps another time I may be enabled to give an account of what I saw there ; but the following lines taken from a supplement of the local newspaper will suffice to give some idea of what it is like :—

I. Where do sunbeams brightest glisten 'Mid intricacies of shade ? Where does love-lorn tui l listen To its mate in leafy glade ? Where, when earliest spring is waking From their sleep each leaflet's fold, Do the zephyrs, gently shaking, Pave the. kowhai 's* roots with gold ? Where, with melody surprising, Does the bellbird^ welcome day, E'er the golden sun arising, Make the night mists roll away ? Where do great konnois 4 , laden With their million berries store, Purple lips of many a maiden ?— 'Tis iv lovely Akaroa !

11. Where do mighty tree-clad mountains Solemn guard tho vales below, Giving birth to many a fountain Where in winter lies the. snow ? Where do great totarns 6 , flinging Bronzed foliage to the sky, Rest a thousand songsters singing Hymns of rapture ere they fly ? Where are giant willows o growing From Napoleon's distant grave ? Where are creeks for ever flowing, Giving verdure as they lave ? Where do sun-clad wavelets wander To Zealandia's forest shore, In embracing growing fonder ?— 'Tis in lovely Akaroa !

111. Where do sunsets' rays of glory, Gold and purple raiment throw O'er the hills 7 renowned in story In the Maori long ago ? Where does wild clematisg, flinging Tendrils o'er the boughs below, Cover sprays, where birds are springing, With a cloak of purest snow ? Where in wild sequestered valley Grows the wondrous nikau 'J palm, Forming ever verdant alley, Where there is eternal calm ? Where aro silver fern trees' ° spreading Fairy fronds of beauty rare, A perpetual fragrance shedding ?— 'Tis in lovely Akaroa !

IV. Where, when storms are raging madly 'Jfleath the bitter tempest's blast, Does the sailor enter gladly, Finding peaceful seas at last ? Where does the titoki's l * glory Blaze with scarlet many a glade, Sheltered from nor'-westers'' 2 fury By the pine trees' 1 * tasselled shade ? Wl>ore are feet for ever pressing Wondrous ferns' 4 of beauty rare, IJobcd iv Nature's choicest dressing, liver fresh and passing fair ? Where, when from the world we sever, Seeking peace for evermore, Should we choose to rest for ever ?— 'Tis in lovely Akaroa !

1. Tui, or parson bird, onn of the houeysuckers peculiar to New Zealand. 2. Tho kowhai is the native acacia. Mi.\t in spring is covered with a profusion of golden blossoms. 3. The bellbird, or mokomoko. another of the New Zealand honevsuokers that always welcomes tho dawn with a strangely clear aud deep note like a bell. 4. The konini is the giant fuchsia of New Zealand, whose numberless purple berries are the delight of the birds and children. 5. The totara is a pine, -with golden or bronzecoloured foliage of great beauty. It grows to an enormous size. 6. The weeping willows in Akaro* are all said to have sprung from a slip brought by a Frenchman from Napoleon's grave in St. Helena. They are of enormous size. 7. The hills around Akann were the scenes of mauy a renowned Maori conflict. 8. The wild clematis, with snowy blossoms fully a foot in circumference, is of marvellous beauty. 9. The nikan palm grows only in the most sequestered and sheltered valleys. 10. The silver fern trees' fronds are a brilliant green above and pure silver underneath. 11. The ti told is the native ash. It bears masses of scarlet berries like gigantic raspberries. 19. The nor'-westers are hot wind} in Akaroa, and wither the vegetation. 13. The native bush consisted originally of gigantic pines. 11. The ferns in Akaroa are of marvellous beauty and variety.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OW18880210.2.37

Bibliographic details

Otago Witness, Issue 1890, 10 February 1888, Page 15

Word Count
1,826

AMONG THE COCKSFOOT. Otago Witness, Issue 1890, 10 February 1888, Page 15

AMONG THE COCKSFOOT. Otago Witness, Issue 1890, 10 February 1888, Page 15

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