NATIVE HORSE SALE AT GALATEA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11120, 20 July 1907, Page 1 (Supplement)

NATIVE HORSE SALE AT GALATEA

■. ■? — - — <*>'.. ' ' . '-•.-'" ■;'.-■ ' The Natives of Te Houhi, m these parts, after sitting rent free on somebody, else's land for about 20 yearaj have finally been persuaded to peacefully evacuate the. locality., The;pfomise of £2000 from a paternal Government had doubtless something to do m helping, them to. make up their minds to go • but that is another story. , - Most, of the Natives haVe gone. . to Waiohau, a matter of 10 miles further eaet. ■.■■.Thither they carted their whares, etc.* arid removed such of their stock as was worth having. A number of- horses still remained at large, however, mostly of the breed known as "scrubbers." These tlio Natives did not want at Waiohau, Either they wouldn't stand the journey, or -they couldn'J get, them to make it, or they had no place to put them if they once did, get tnem there. , . -So. the guileless Native determined to have a horse eale and invite the pakeha to come and speculate. As the bulk of the horses were running on. Tauaroa Station the manager thereof j iri the hope of getting rid of the brutes, was quite pleased to permit the use of his. yards for mustering purposes. It took some, time and a lot of trouble to ran those horses into the paddock, and then it took thrice niore days and thirty Natives to get them yarded. . Finally about two hundred animals were gathered m, and then the rare hard work ior some of* the Natives commenced. When about half a dozen Maon'6 claim one horse tire man who can hang out longest and ultimately establish his claiih deserves that horse. He certainly lias worked for- it. Three wise men from the east came. to purchase horseflesh and the local whites also attended. With the hope doubtless that they might leaven the whole lot the artless Natives had introduced a few real live good horses into, the rapb.. These were soon spotted, and offers for them came quite rapidly. The Natives' reserve prices plainly showed that the owners were certainly not there t» 6eu horses. "*■•:.. ' Finally after two ■ days all business and bargaining was completed and suoh animals as were left were started on the track .to Waiohau. They Ireaphed there! —most of them— but we understand they really don't care for the place. There are no paddocks lor one thing. So they are on their way back to their old haunts," several having -already reported themselves. , Was the sale/ a success? you ask. Oh well! judge for : yourself— total of sales, one animal,' £3 cash.— Rotoroa Times.