, ▁much ▁of ▁which ▁was ▁dest ined ▁for ▁the ▁Col ville ▁P oul try ▁Farm ▁which ▁had ▁recently ▁closed . ▁ ▁Feder ated ▁Farm ers ▁was ▁consult ed ▁on ▁the ▁proposal ▁and ▁agreed ▁that ▁there ▁was ▁ins u fficient ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁station ▁to ▁justify ▁its ▁ret ention . ▁ ▁The ▁proposal ▁was ▁approved ▁on ▁ 7 ▁September ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁and , ▁in ▁line ▁with ▁recommend ations , ▁instructions ▁were ▁issued ▁for ▁the ▁sale ▁and ▁removal ▁of ▁the ▁stock y ards ▁and ▁the ▁recovery ▁of ▁railway ▁equipment ▁from ▁the ▁site ▁after ▁the ▁station ▁closed ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 5 th ▁of ▁that ▁month . ▁ ▁The ▁General ▁Manager ▁was ▁ad vised ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁February ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁that ▁the ▁stock y ards ▁had ▁been ▁removed . ▁ ▁Fac ilities ▁ ▁Station ▁buildings ▁& ▁yard ▁ ▁After ▁being ▁pet ition ed ▁by ▁local ▁far mers ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 8 9 4 ▁for ▁the ▁provision ▁of ▁facilities ▁for ▁handling ▁liv est ock ▁at ▁Op aki , ▁the ▁Department ▁agreed ▁to ▁install ▁standard ▁sheep ▁and ▁cattle ▁pens ▁if ▁the ▁interested ▁parties ▁contributed ▁£ 2 5 ▁towards ▁the ▁cost . ▁ ▁The ▁facilities ▁for ▁loading ▁cattle ▁were ▁considered ▁in ade qu ate ▁but ▁as ▁of ▁October ▁ 1 8 9 6 ▁the ▁Department ▁had ▁still ▁not ▁received ▁any ▁contribution ▁to ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁upgrad ing ▁the ▁facilities . ▁ ▁The ▁station ’ s ▁existing ▁sheep ▁pens ▁were ▁strength ened ▁for ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁cattle ▁at ▁the ▁request ▁of ▁a