ITEMS FROM NAPIER PAPERS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 153, 28 March 1874, Page 2

ITEMS FROM NAPIER PAPERS.

The Waikohu run at Poverty Bay, 21,000 acres, with stock and improvements has been purchased by Mr. Locke, of Napier, from Mr. Hargreaves, its present occupant. One of the main causes of the high price which sheep have reached of late has been the drain on the stock of the province to stock new country. Within the last few days extensive purchases have been made by Mr. Maney—without exception the most enterprising of our runholders—to stock the country recently taken up by him on this side of Patea.

S. Locke, Esq., R.M. proceeds to attend the great native meeting at Ruatahuna, Uriwern country, and will be absent from town about, a fortnight. Mr. Locke will visit country, during this trip, in which hitherto none- but belligerents have been able to put foot. He goes by way of Wairoa and Lake Waikarenioana, and will be accompanied by Mr. F. W. C. Sturm, botanist, andjjy Mr. R. Price. The party will return by Taupo and Runanga. Operations at the West Clive boiling-down establishment are now fairly commenced. The first lot of sheep—from Mr. Nelson’s flock—were boiled down last week. The yield from the first hundred of them averaged something enormous, between 70 and 80 lbs. of tallow per head. They were, of course, picked sheep, weighing about 150 lbs. each all round. There can be no doubt that for animals of this class boiling-down pays considerably better than selling to the butcher.