THE EARLY DAYS.

Waikato Times, Volume 103, Issue 17384, 21 April 1928, Page 9

THE EARLY DAYS.

PIONEERING IN THE DOMINION. MR ISAAC COATES'S EXPERIENCES. WORK IX THE SHEARING SHED. Mr Conies continues his narrative of his pioneering experiences, as follows: In reference to my last letier 1 had the honour of a visit on Sunday last from a professional gentleman of Hamilton, who said that he had come lo thank me for the letters that 1 have been writing during Ihe last, few weeks. lie added that he had had great pleasure in reading them, and he hoped that I would continue writing my early experiences, lie told me that he was horn at Ihe Starborough Sheep Station, his fattier having purchased Ihe estate shortly after I ha 1 lel'l. Therefore one can see why he is so interested in my early experiences, and why he wishes me lo continue lo recount my early history. This makes Ihe fourth gentleman who has told me how he has enjoyed Ihe articles. I have now gol lo Ihe sheep shearing. Having been considered a good sheep clipper at Home I thought I would like to try my hand at Ihe shearing, so 1 asked Mr Maddock if if was possible. and lie answered me, saying that 1 could have No. 2 stand. I had never seen a merino sheep before, let alone shorn one. At the signal to start I caught hold of my sheep, hut. it was so different from what 1 had been used to doing that J made very poor progress. The man next to me had his sheep finished before 1 had even opened my shears. So I told him lo take mine, and my merino sheep shearing ended. When the manager came I told him that I could not manage those kind of sheep. lie said: "All right: come with me ami I will give you something else to do." He took me info Hie shed where they sort cut the different qualities of wool. After

giving instructions lo Hie wool sort t lo leach me how lo break Ihe tleeces up and divide them according to quality the manager left me, and 1 started to learn my new job. Each sorter had eight bins *<ito which the different

qualities of wool were thrown. The baling was done close by, and then Ihe full bales were drawn up to the second floor to be pressed and branded. In the whole process one has to be very careful not to mix the different qualities of wool. I was working close to the man lo whom 1 had given my sheep, and I grew very friendly with him. In one of our talks he told me that his parents were brought out by the New Zealand Association, and landed in Nelson with a few other families. They were given food and seed potatoes, and told to shift for themselves. His family, however, had a very bad run, and before long were digging up then* seedling potatoes for something to eat.