SHEEP DRIVE

Southland Times, Issue 22770, 21 December 1935, Page 15

SHEEP DRIVE

POVERTY BAY SENDING 300,000 THIS YEAR Approximately 300,000 sheep are being prepared in Gisborne and coast districts for despatch to the Waikato during the present summer. Up to 100,000 sheep will be taken by sea to Tauranga, and most of the remainder will be put on the train at Taneatua, says an Auckland exchange. Some sheep have been sent north already, but the greatest number will not start to move until after the new year, when the first of the big mobs will be put on the road. From then on for the following six weeks sheep will proceed north in almost a wave. Last year approximately 150,000 sheep were driven through the Motu and Waioeka roads. They were in addition to many thousands which left coast farms and travelled via Cape Runaway. This number was estimated at anything up to 100,000, although no definite figures were available. In addition, 80,000 sheep were sent by boat to Tauranga from Gisborne and coast bays. It is expected that this season will see a repetition of last, except that some stock interests believe that more sheep will be shipped this time. It is known that the Richardson boats have from 60,000 to 70,000 sheep in sight already, while other vessels also will take several thousand. Most of the sheep going north this season will go direct to farms, for the number bought by speculators is comparatively small. The prices ruling this year leave little margin for speculation. Canterbury’s Small Share. Until a few years ago Gisborne did a trade of up to 100,000 sheep annually

, with Canterbury, but the Waikato de- ■ mand which has sprung up comparatively recently has outbid Canterbury > except for a few star lines ordered by ' southern flock owners, who have learned to rely upon ewes from certain properties and who are prepared to pay above the market rate in their own locality. Last season only one shipment went to Canterbury, but three lines have been arranged for so far this season, the total involved being about 4000. The greatest number will go from Tokomaru Bay and Tolaga Bay, and the remainder from Gisborne. Hawkes Bay has not been in the mar- . ket as much as formerly and little de- . mand is expected from that province, i for the values Waikato farmers are paying for Gisborne sheep have shut ; others out.