Newspaper Article – Lorries In Demand

LORRIES IN DEMAND

Ewe Fair Keeps Carrying Firms Busy

ALL-NIGHT RUSH

Unusual circumstances surrounded the loading of over 2000 sheep on to trucks for inclusion in the ewe fair at Stortford Lodge this morning. This consignment, one of the biggest for the fair, was transported in the early hours of this morning, the work being carried out under flood-lights.

Owing to the acute shortage of lorries, occasioned by the big demand for the entries to be transported from all parts of the province to Hastings within a period of about 36 hours, special arrangements had to be made with a number of station-owners to have their ewes loaded at night. Messrs. I.R. and M.S.C. Gordon, of Waimarama, were among those who agreed upon this course and their entry of over 2000 sheep from the Taurapa and Haupori [Haupouri] stations was moved between 11 o’clock last night and daybreak this morning.

“The arrangements for handling this big consignment at the stations was excellent,” said a principal of the carrying firm confirmed this morning, when commenting upon the work. “The sheep were all mustered late yesterday and drafted ready for loading on to the trucks. Then along we came with our lorries about 11 o’clock last night and several floodlights were turned-on. Loading was carried out most expeditiously, the actual loading time averaging about 10 minutes. Everything worked smoothly and it was quite an experience for several of our drivers.”

Altogether about 25 loads of sheep were transported from these two stations alone, while several other loads were taken earlier in the evening from neighbouring farms and stations. The journey to the saleyards was about 16 miles, and special shifts had to be arranged for the drivers.

“Every lorry available in the district was in use yesterday and last night and you could not get one for a casual job for love or money,” said another leading carrier of stock this morning. He said that his four lorries had been continuously on the road since early Thursday morning and the drivers were working long hours.

One broker’s representative said that he believed fully 80 per cent. of the entry at the fair to-day was trucked to the yards. “The sheep came from almost all parts of the province, many remote inland and coastal districts being represented, while there was a fair contribution of Poverty Bay sheep, though these were railed from Wairoa,” he said.