Masterton Saleyards (Wairarapa) Traditional Cache
Masterton Saleyards (Wairarapa)
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An agricultural facility within the boundries of Carterton District.
Is it an oxymoron to have the Masterton Saleyards within the boundries of Carterton District?
The heart and soul of every agricultural community is it's livestock saleyards where farmers can meet on a regular basis to trade livestock and keep up to date with each other.
In 1902 Masterton's first saleyards were established on the northern side of town where land was purchased from the " Moroa Native Block " for this purpose. In those days the sale yards needed to be close to where most of the stock were so the animals could be walked to the yards then walked to the meat works or buyers properties.
There were complaints that these yards were not central enough to where most of the stock came from so in July 1909 new sale yards were established at the site if the Solway A and P Society. This location proved to be unsatisfactory and in 1917 a group of livestock auctioneering firms set up a new cooperativly owned set of yards at Columbia Rd on the east side of town on the land now occupied by the netball courts.
With the importance of rail to transport livestock it was reseolved by the cooperative of owners to shift closer to the rail head at Waingawa and in the early 70's new yards were established at Norfolk Rd Carterton, where they remain today.
There have been big changes since these new yards were at Waingawa. Buring their height of activity between the 70's and 80's the yards dealt with nearly 200,000 head of sheep in one year and 50,000 head of cattle. At one sale alone over 30,000 head of sheep were yarded.
With the general decline in livestock farming numbers at each weekly sale today are very much less and the original 5 stock agents that formed the original cooperative have now reduced to 2 as a consequence of amalgamation.
The cache is a micro. You will need your own pen.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Qba'g tb AHGgl bire guvf bar
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