HIS WOOL CHEQUE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 114, 16 May 1931, Page 8 (Supplement)

HIS WOOL CHEQUE

1 A HUMORIST'S EXPERIENCE A eontribulur to a North Island tpaper tells rather entertainingly of his wool-raising experience this year. A year ago 1 began farming (he states) and followed it up with all the ardour of the amateur. My score of ewes soon cleared off a paddock of ragwort and throve on it. while in due time they furnished me with some 15 lambs. They brought these up, so far as I could see, in a thoroughly effi cient manner, and, indeed, seemed to ■ resent any interference on y part. In addition to their maternal duties they steadily grew tine fleeces, and 1 began to have visions of a rich return from, my first clip. Now. some people, on the strength of their wool cheque, take a trip to Europe, aud while my hopes did not extend so far. I thought a holiday in Auckland was quite within view. As the season progressed, and as the price of wool kept going down, I began to think that Hamilton •was about as far as 1 could get with the proceeds of my wool sale, and still later I was afraid that 1 could nor .manage more than a trip to To Kuitt. Shearing time arrived, and in consideration of 5s and a few bottles of beer (home brewed), 1 got two Maoris to remove the wool ami bag it. As in Ihe nursery rhyme, I had three bags full. My expectations were now hemming more and more modest, but j believed I would realise at least a few pounds. I put my product in the hands of a firm of local agents to be forwarded to Wanganui. In due tinje 1 was advised that it had been sold at 6d a lb, and I calculated that I should net about 30s after deducting carriage nod commission. A few days afterwards I received a detailed statement, accompanied by a cheque. The latter was for 4s 3d. I was therefore (counting the cost of shearing and omitting that of the bottles of beer) 9d to the bad. A study of the document accompanying the cheque is full of interest. I found from it that I had contributed no less than 8s lid to the revenue of our railways, that some carrier in Wanganui benefits by me to the extent of Is, that receiving, storing, lotting, weighing, advertising, insurance and catalogues ran away with Is lid, while somebody called Binning had secured 3s 9d out of the scramble. Now who m Binning! I have never met or heard of him before. I do nor grudge the Railway Department its share. Tffie service rendered was easily worth it. J do not think the carter’s honorarium was excessive, while the commission of fid charged by the local agents was moderate indeed. One shilling was deducted for 1 ‘ Proportionate cost of pack. ’’ Why? But Binning. Binning ind his ,3s 9d.