SHEEP MOVE NORTHWARD

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18595, 4 January 1935, Page 6

SHEEP MOVE NORTHWARD

GISBORNE TO WAIKATO MANY THOUSANDS ON ROAD SHI PITN 0 MOR E ACTI V E The annual movement of breeding ewes from the Gisborne and Coast districts to the Waikato has commenced. Many thousands are already on the road, and large mobs have yet to start out. Considerable numbers also will be shipped to Tauranga, thence going by rail to Waikato stations.

An earlier start than usual was made by t hose ewes being sent by road. Some set., out before Christmas, and several mobs are due to pass through Opotiki in a few days. In the past, it was the usual custom to wait until the holiday traffic was off the roads, but an endeavor is being made by some owners to catch the first Morrinsville sale on January 11, and for that reason they made an early start. Larger numbers will be taken by boat this year, compared with last season. The Pakura has been specially fitted up for the carriage of sheep, and will take her first load from Hicks Bay during the week-end, returning immediately to load at other Coast ports. These sheep will be taken to Tauranga, for the Waikato market. The Margaret W will leave this evening with 800 ewes for the Waikato, to be unloaded at Tauranga. Most of the mobs being sent have been bought forward, and many will go straight to the farms,, but large numbers, no doubt, will go forward on consignment, ton sale at the various yards in the Waikato. The largest percentage in the past has been, offered at. Morriiisville, and the samo practice probably will continue. Morrinsville sales this year will be weekly, instead of fortnightly as in the past. The Farmers’ Auctioneering Company, which controls the main yards there, has reached this decision, and in making the announcement the manager of the stock department, Mr. W. J Livingstone, said:— “.Morrinsville is rapidly developing into the . main outlet in the Waikato for sheep and cattle from East Coast districts. A few years ago the Morrinsville, sale was a small affair, with local cattle only. In recent years the selling of East Coast sheep and cattle has been concentrated at. Morrinsville because of its central position at the junction of the railways and roads leading to all parts of' .South Auckland. ’ ’

The decision of the Fanners’ Auctioneering Company to hold weekly sates at Morrinsvillc is the outcome of a certain amount of congestion which has taken place at the fortnightly sales this season owing to the particularly heavy yardings of all classes of stock. At the company’s sale on December 14 there were over .1000 head of beef cattle in the pens, which were filled to capacity, and during the season for selling East Coast store sheep the yardings ranged up to 12,000 head. Over 300 head of ■ dairy cattle were offered at each fortnightly sale during the spring, and at most sales the pig pens have, been filled with a total of over 1000 fat and store pigs. Extensive additions to the Morrinsville salcyards of the company are now nearing compleflon. The new and up-to-date sheep yards will enable 15,000 sheep'to be handled efficiently; the accommodation for pigs has been increased to three times what it was, and new „ dairy cattle. pens:. with a pavilion for indoor .sales in wet weather are to be,built so as-to allow of the more convenient handling of both fat and dairy cattle.

Many of the buyers motor from all parts of the Waikato and King Country. During the height of the sheepselling season as many as 100 trucks of sheep were railed from Morrinsville railway station to the order of buyers farming in other districts.