THE AUSTRALIAN DROUGHT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 123, 23 May 1912, Page 7

THE AUSTRALIAN DROUGHT.

■ v AS BAD AS IK 1902. CALVES AT ONE AND SIXPENCE APIECE. DAIRY COWS NINE SHILLINGS A S " HEAD. Beports from drought-stricken districts in Australia, published in papers received by mail to-day, show that the 'Visitation is as bad as that of 1902. A telegram from Young (N.S.W.) says:— ; "Every day for a month train-loads of Starving stock have been seen on their to more favoured districts; and er'aziere with available paddocks for the deception of starving stock are making small fui tunes in agistment fees. The - '■' dry spell ft compared by some old settlers to the big drought of 26 years ago, when the weeks and-months rolled by and there was never a drop of rain. Many of ; the country towns are in a very bad way with regard to water for even domestic purposes, and morning baths are out of - the question. At Young a. water famine Js-threatened, while at Grenfell matters with regard to the supply are in a seri- , . oiis condition.'- ,- ---' The ' Bathurst correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" wired: — "Matters I lave reached an acute stage, as a result of the drought. Many farmers have abandoned all idea of sowing crops this year, I as they think it- would be useless, even if • rain. fell' within the next few days. Heavy mortality has taken place among sbeep around Barry and Hobby yards, • #here the country is quite bare. Last ■week a number of dairy cows, the pro perty of a-dairyman at Esron, which a I few. weeks, back were worth anything up : to £0 per head, were sold at 9/ each, the purchaser simply buying them for their hides. At the Bathurst Pound two wellknown calves, which had been abandoned by their owner, were sold at 1/6 each." : /'Latest reports from Wantabadgery Station,, in- Junee; state, that out of a total number of 53,000 sheep, 30,000 I Jiaye'^iei.'of'starvation, and the others. ■ are dying daily. Rabbits are also dying in thousands on .the run,.having eaten themselves out Dead rabbits along the I. roads "that are wire-netted on sides are lying in'hundreds, and the stench 1 at times is alrßOst"unbearable. Apart from.the greaJj loss of aheep the paatoralists will lose .nearly, all this year's lambs. Those ewes that have lambed are leaving their off-spring to die, while ewes that have not/yet lambed "are in such a • weak' state' that' the mortality during the (eason is sure to be enormous. Crows leeift to. be"'increasing on account of the - dead carcases on which they feed. The . Tpuiig lambs left by , their mothers are at the mercy .of,the. crows, which peck cut their eyes almost as soon as their ' leave them. Things in .the town are becoming more serious. On account ,'pf the growing demand for water resi- . dents who have more than they requirt are making , a charge. ~"