SHEEP FOR MAIN TRUNK.

Shannon News, 19 February 1924, Page 2

SHEEP FOR MAIN TRUNK.

DUE TO DROUGHT CONDITIONS.

During the past Week or so it is estimated that between 12,000 and 15,000 sheep have passed through Palmerston North from the Wairarapa cn route to the King Country and the Waikato district. Every day lengthy stock trains have been seen passing out of Palmerston North, and. the reasons for this exodus was enquired into by a “Standard” reporter yesterday. “It is quite true that there are large consignments of she’ep passing through Palmerston North just now,” stated a well-known stock dealer and auctioneer when interviewed on the subject. Quite recently, about 15,000 wethers have been sent from the Wairarapa to the Waikato and Main Trunk districts, and this is a phenomenal occurrence. It is nothing unusual at this time of the year for the Manawatu to absorb considerable numbers of sheep from the Pahiatua district. Here we fatten them, but there is no special significance in the fact of stock being sent hero for that purpose. The exodus to the north, however, is quite I unusual, and it is due solely to the drought conditions that have, prevailed. In the Main Trunk district there ' has been a liberal rainfall and there is plenty of feed for the sheep that are being sent up there. ‘‘ Of course, it is a very costly business for the sheep owners, but with wool at its present price there will still be a liberal margin of profit for them after allowing for the heavy freights they havo had to pay for TailRobin 3, Roger Walker’s (Plimmerway transport.