WAIKATO SHEEP SHEARERS AT THE CHATHAM ISLANDS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1978, 12 March 1885, Page 3

WAIKATO SHEEP SHEARERS AT THE CHATHAM ISLANDS.

A 1 K\\ month"* ago, it w ill be remeiiibeied about half dozen sheep sheaiois loft tin-, distnet for tho purpose of pioceeding to tho Chatham Islands, wheic they weroassiued of <i largo amount of u oik at good wages. Hands weie scaicc at the islands, and the liiuholdci.s vveio obliged to adveitise fin good men in Auckland, offeiing to juv then passage to the It-lands and back in addition to paying them a fair pi ice pei hundred foi their w oik. On thu.mn.il of tho j)<nty in Auckland, only font, M'"-sis Wyatt, (iil>bs, Ijanett and downing, could pie\.al iipi>n themselves to uudoi take the journey, otheis li,i\iug ceitun misgivings as to the tieatment they w mid leceiveattho li.mds of the Island scttliMs These four men have just i etui nod to Waikato and speak very highly of then tup, and the very kind inunnei in which they weie treated throughout their stay at the Chatham*. They left Auckland m December last m the brig Omaha and leached their destination aftei a veiy pleisant voyage oHivu day. They w etc nut on their arrival by Mr Chudleigh of the Wharekahore station, by whom they weie fit st engaged to put thiough 7000 sheep. Air Mooie's estate, wliuie theie weie about 3,500 sheep, was the ne\t visited ; and from here they next proceeded to Mr Engst's station, known as Mongonui, where there weie o\er 3000 sheep. The shearing lasted for 31 days, and the price paid per bundled was 10s Bd, with fiee passage each way. The men uoie absent fiom homo f mn teen weeks, dining winch time they averted about 7s a day for m\ days a week. They speak in high tei ins of the treatment which they received at the hands of their employeis, who prowdod them with excellent accommodation and good food. They aKo put hois>es at then disposal for the purpose of moving about the island. There appears to be »m\ amount of work of a geneial chaiactei .»■. well as bheanntr at the Chatlmn Isl nnN The above paity, before leaving, weie offeied three miles of wire fencing, two miles of draining and one of bush vvoik, either on conti act oi at tin N<>w Zealand puce for day labom, but as shearing vva^ more in then line, and .is they desiied to letuin to then homes in Waikato, they did not enteitain the olk-i.