PIONEERING DAYS.

Waikato Times, Volume 103, Issue 17406, 19 May 1928, Page 5

PIONEERING DAYS.

MR COATES’ EXPERIENCES

SHEEPFARMING IN MARLBOROUGH. In my last letter, recounting the story of my early experiences, I got to the time when I found merino sheep shearing was harder than it looked and so I was started on the job of wool sorting. I was told that if I wished I could go to Kikiranga as a sorter, with the shearers when we finished at Mr Maddock's in about six weeks time, but it seems that a Mr Pulleine, a gentleman who owned a farm near the river Awatere, had asked Mr Maddock if he could have me to cut his grass. Mr Maddock replied that it rested with myself and though I would rather have stayed with Mr Maddock I went and harvested Mr Pulleine's field for him. as I pitied him not being able to get it done and did not think it right that the grass should be wasted. My early experience in Marlborough was to gain experience of sheep farming in New Zealand with the idea of becoming a New Zealander, \xhich had been my ambition ever since 1 left school and become my father s shepherd, and so became very much attached to both my sheep and my dog, hut it. was my father’s wish that I take charge of the farm until my younger brother became of age in iSfih. He ; them had a two days sale of all pertaining to the farm as per fathei s will. " I, being the elder, was entitled to the lease of the farm, but 1 told my brother that he could have it and I would go to New Zealand and have a farm of my own. After l had been at. Starborough I told Mr Mad dock, the manager, that, my idea was to buv or rent, a suitable sheep station. He toid me that an adjoining run called Richmond Brook, was either for sale ; or tease. I think that 1 t.tmn had sufficient funds in the Savings Bank al Richmond, Yorkshire, to take o\ci | run' but it, was not, long he,fme I] found out. that, the prospect, for sheep; farming in New Zealand was a id) . poor one. Wool was then a low P J with practically no sale for wthci ( lambs or culls only for boiling down , with tallow at a very low pi we * i only that. but. the. scab was so bad that j all sheep had to be dipped three times, per annum which was a very serious | and expensive affair so that n - t Pip., trnt a great shock. I,n tne Starboroligti siallnn they >» pjsrht acres of tobacco and a g -at ani.ount of labour was required getHng Ihn crop worked, lied "P " I, undies, and hunp UP Id I" 1 ,„.op shed. I soon came to In'’ con Mi/sion that there was not fit*™* of making money sheep fannul-. New Zealand, but a great chance o making a. tog loss* f *° ls m “ b(>nt sheep farming' in New Zealand I think: that I would have been a Yorkshire, farmer notwithstanding my earty dream^ Now Zealand, but I now think that if 1 had secured the Richmond Brook hfep run and just worked it on a small scale until freezing was invented i would have been all right now. The only trouble