NOTES FROM RUATITI.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17479, 25 January 1919, Page 3

NOTES FROM RUATITI.

THE WORLD'S CHAMPION

SHEARER.

! Your correspondent had an opportunity of seeing Mr. W. Vella, the ■world's champion shearer, in action onr- Thursday of last week, at a station in Ruatiti, owned by Messrs O'Neill Bros., of Wanganui. Mr. Vella is a member of Mr. Skinner's contract party of five, the other members being Messrs Hulena, Swan and Dowling. The "drummer" of this party can shear his 270 sheep per day quite comfortably, AVhile Mr. Vella, the "ringer,!' holds the world's record of 347 for a nine-hours' day, he having recently beaten his previous record ol! 339. This,. party ■• arTived at Messrs O'Neill Bros.' shed during the previous week, and in eight days had shorn wellj over 10,000. sheep. A large number of visitors came daily from near and far to see these champions at work, and it is; indeed a revelation to see the marvellous speed with which a sheep can be divested of his heavy fleece without receiving so much as a scratch from the shearer." On one occasion when Mr. Vetta deemed to 'be going at top, though not knowing that I was timing him, he dropped the fleece off a sheep in" just 46 seconds from the time he took up l\is machine till he laid it down again. I do not know how many Seconds he could knock off this time if he were racing the clock. Messrs O'Neill Bros, have just lately completed a fine large shearing shed and yards and installed six machines. This shed and yards, Mr. Skinner says, is the finest and most up-tor date he has met; with in all his twelve years' experience as a shearer in. Australia and New Zealand, and never- was his party better or * more regularly supplied with sheep. On this point he pays a high compliment to the manager, Mr. F. McDonald.

On Thursday evening the shearers gave a social and dance in the shed, in which there is quite a large matai floor space. There was a very numerous- gathering and a splendid evening's social amusement was enjoyed by all. Vocal items were rendered by Messrs - Skinner, Swan and Dowling. There was abundant refreshments, and dancing was kept up till 4.30 a.m. Messrs West and Cronin supplied the music. The unanimous verdict of those present was that Messrs Skinner and party are not only champion shearers, but real "dinkuni-* sports. as well.

The Ruatiti district is . making very rapid progress, and now produces wool and mutton that equals any grown in New Zealand. It is sincerely hoped that the Government will soon see its way to grant more liberal financial assistance to the returned soldier settlers, whose allotments in Mangapoura are situated just at the back of- the Ruatiti Valley. If this can be done, as it certainly should be, some of the finest sheep-growing country in the Dominion will be opened up, and this locality will become a most valuable asset to New Zealand.