STOCK TROUBLES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 June 1939, Page 7

STOCK TROUBLES

PROBLEMS OF EARLY WAIRARAPA SETTLERS

Work of the Inspectors

DRASTIC MEASURES NECESSARY

(Specially Written for the “Wairarapa Times-Age” by

Charles Bannister.)

In the early days sheep in the Wairarapa were much afflicted with scab, a very infectious parasite. It burrows under the skin, from where it procures its food and consequently is very difficult to exterminate. This habit caused the irritation. The sheep rubbed the itching part on any obstacle, such as stumps, scrub, or rocks. This pulled off some wool, leaving eggs and scabs for the next sheep that came along to pick up. Some sheep were almost denuded of their wool and the body was one scab, hence the name. As the stations were very rough and fences were non-existent, rivers and creeks formed the boundaries of paddocks. The sheep in many instances could not be kept apart. It was almost impracticable to combat the’ disease. It was not until the runholders could get wire and material to build secure holding paddocks that they made any impression on the disease. On account of the scrub and roughness of the country the sheep had to be mustered two or three times before the country could be called clean, and in most cases there were wild sheep on the Crown lands. They used to roam in the bush and had to be killed and burnt. The paddocks that had been mustered had to be kept clean for three or four weeks to allow the eggs of the parasite to hatch out and die. If the owner was a careful man he would go over the paddock again before he put his sheep back. If he saw any signs of the disease he would kill and burn the sheep affected. It was those who did work in a careless sort of a way and did not immerse .every sheep and see that their paddocks were thoroughly clean who kept the scab in this district so long. DIPPING COSTLY. Dipping sheep was a costly job in the early days. As it- was before the concrete era, most of the dips had to be built out of timber. Totara was generally used. In out of the way places it had to be pit sawn, then dressed, tongued and grooved by hand, and caulked to make it water-tight. In some of the far-back places they simply dug a dip out of the clay and lined it with split slabs to keep the sides from falling in. Tanks had to be secured to boil the tobacco leaves to procure nicotine, which was the main ingredient of the dip. The tobacco leaves were of a very rough grade and they were always well sprinkled with sulphur. This made them free of tax. Some of the old timers said this was only to stop anyone from pinching it to smoke in their old clay pipes. Lime and sulphur w'ere also used. The leaves were boiled in the tanks, and if the water was hard a lot of washing soda was put in, and didn’t it have a grand aroma! In some dips arsenic was used. Often, if the sheep were kept under too long, they would get a mouthful, which would kill them and the scab too. I heard of a stationholder who fell or was knocked into the dip by one of the men. As he waded through the dip up to his neck, he said; “Keep going. Don’t waste time. I am all right.” He went to the river where he had a good swim with his clothes on, came back and went to work none the worse for being dipped. FIRST INSPECTOR. Mr W. H. Donald, of Manaia, was the first inspector of sheep appointed. He had many trying trips up and down the valley, crossing flooded rivers, arguing with the runholders and threatening them that he would have their runs taken away from them if

they did not get their sheep clean. In spite of everything the scab increased. He went to one place and gave the owner notice to muster. He inspected the sheep, which he found clean, and was just going to write out a clean certificate when he heard a sheep bleating in the bush nearby. On investigating he found two scabby sheep tied up. That man was ordered to dip three times at an interval of 14 days, which he had to do according to law. It was not till Mr John Drummond was appointed inspector that things began to improve. He stood no nonsense from anyone. If he said dip you had to dip and do it properly, for he would stay there and see you did. He would advise and help if necessary. He was looked up to by everyone, as he ’knew the right thing to do at the right time. His advice regarding stock was always sought, and he was one of nature's gentlemen. A few thought him harsh but they brought it on themselves. It was Mr Drummond who eradicated scab in this district. I have often heard of the bloated squatters but from what I remember of the scabfighters they looked anything but being bloated. They looked tired, hard and worried and lean in body and po’cket. Most of those I saw were on their way to Wellington to see their bankers or loan companies to see if they could get a further loan on their properties. Some of them came back with a smile on their faces; others had a very sad look for the moneylenders had put an octopus clamp on their belongings. SOME EARLY BRANDS. By the courtesy of the present stock inspector I have been shown the book of registered brands, some of them being registered in 1856 and 1857 One I saw was R.C., which stood for Richard Collins who took up land in Te Ore Ore in 1846, leasing it from the Maoris. Many of the other brands recalled memories. We as youngsters in the middle sixties used to sit on the woolbales when they were tumbled from the bullock drays and put on the waggons for Wellington. We used to argue about the brands and whose they were. Mr Hubbard showed me the Government brands, the S and arrow, which the squatters did not like to see placed on their sheep. These are the same brands that Mr John Drummond carried about and used to great effect. These brands were made in two parts, the handle portion unscrewing from the letter so the implement could be packed in a leather bag. No doubt if that bag could talk it would be worth listening to.

Mataikona was the last stronghold of the scab in this district, on account of its roughness and being surrounded by scrub belonging to the Crown. This area was full of wild sheep. It was supposed to be clean at last. Mr Valentine Smith of Lansdowne, to whom it belonged, was given permission to bring 100 wethers to Lansdowne for killers. A short time afterwards scab made its appearance on Mataikona. The sheep at Lansdowne were inspected. Some of the sheep at Willow Park were found to be mixed with them and all these sheep had the red S put on them. Some of the sheep had been shifted across the main road and some of these had got through the fence on to Bannister’s property. We also had to brand and dip three times to make sure there was no chance of the scab breaking out again. Sheep branded with the red S were not allowed to be sold or shifted off a property without the sanction of the inspector.