A VISIT TO ROTORUA. [Extracts from Mr Ward's Journal, continued.]

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1529, 22 April 1882, Page 2

A VISIT TO ROTORUA. [Extracts from Mr Ward's Journal, continued.]

Didkst tell you about the sheap wash and shearing shed, did I ? No ! VYoll, if I had that soda spring on- my station down on the Murrumbiilgy it would be worth at least £1000 a-year to me. Why the wool is skouml on the sheap 's back, dried and shorn in, say, fifteen minnits. If the yolk is not up it takes six days. Does it ? Why when J was up there I saw how it was clone. The sheap where thrown into the soda tank, from that to a fresh water spout, a id then run on to the drying pen and diied by hot air, and, if they stood more than fifteen minnits, the yolk began to run. There was small spouts underneath the sheap to catch it and run into casks. This yolk, is what they make the celebrated Rotorua soft soap out of. When Sir G. Grey (he bought all they had on hand) was up there last time the sheercrs left two rams in the drying pen and just run over to Kellys to give Sir George a cheer, and, blow me, when they come back there was nothing left but the wool and horns. The wool press is driven by hot air. There is also a very iugenious contrivance to pick up the wool, all going by machinery driven by hot air from one of the springs. As soon as a sheerer calls out " wool," the sorter just tui'ns a crank and a long arm shoots out and sweeps up the wool in a twink. By another turn it is deposited in the bale. A drunken sheerer got in the road one day, and was scooped up ; wasent missed for sometime ; next heard of three months after, when he was sold in London for one and threepence per lb. Fact. They trash and sheer about 2000 a-day. There is another sheap dip I forgot to tell you of ; it is a sulfei dip, but by just turning a cock you get a supply of arsenic and alum. This is for dipping sheap that has the scab, ticks, or lice. When I was up at Rotorna a squatter sent his sheap over from Napier to get them dipped, as the sheap was terrible bad with ticks. There was about 10,000 sheap in the flock, if I recollect right. Well, when the sheap were just going through the Wakarewyrewy gorge the wind was in their faces and blowing the sulfer right from the springs, and, hang me, if everyone of them ticks dident jump out on the road and shin it back to Napier. The farmers up there use the hob air to dry the hay and crops ; hot air pipes laid to all the stack yards. It does not matter if the crop is put together a little wet ; in fact ,it is all the better for being a little damp. The^maltis all dried by hot air, and makes excellent Beer. I did not mention before, did I, the t transparent marble? ,No ! Well,' a' French' polisher went up Ho a block to polish it ; it was about four feet thick ; he started to work and thought he could* see' himself in it, but it was- another fellow on the other side of ths, stone. The Frenchman was rubfjifag away and wanted a little moisture, so he spit on the stone. The fellow on, the other side took it 3 as aniinsiiltyso lie %ni'r6und Hhe^stong ,'apd } hit^bim on the liead Vitli a hamirier*. . Three' month's later the Prenchirtan" Voke^ up yi^th^ 'HospitaL ' As iirue as mvßameis WAJCbU

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