FARM CONDITIONS IN AUSTRALIA

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22251, 16 November 1937, Page 3

FARM CONDITIONS IN AUSTRALIA

HIGH PRICES FOR DAIRY PRODUCTS

DUNEDIN MAN'S IMPRESSIONS

[THE PRESS Special Service.]

DUNEDIN, November 15.

Mr Alex. Miller, of Wright, Stephenson and Company, who has just returned from a two months' visit to Australia, has brought back with him considerable information about farming conditions in the Commonwealth. Australia has been favoured with good rains during the last five or six years, Mr Miller said, and as a consequence there has been a distinct increase in the production of butter-fat and also of lambs for export. Dairy farmers were having a prosperous time with high prices ruling in the Home market for butter and cheese. Producers were not handicapped with restrictions, and were able to work on lower costs both for land and labour as compared with the' New Zealand farmer. While he was in the main centres, Mr Miller visited several wool stores and inspected the wool then coming on to the market. The clips offering were of the poorest in quality and yield compared with a number 6f years past. Dry weather during the winter and spring had resulted in burrs showing up badly in the fleeces, and red dust was also noticeable in the clips. Experts considered that the yields were from 5 per cent, to 10 per cent, lower as compared with the previous year. Wool Market Early in the season growers had been disinclined to sell their wool, but later on there was a tendency to meet the market, which, in spite of the statistical position, was not over-strong following on the lack of confidence among overseas buyers. »The general opinion was that should there be any advance in the prices of raw commodities overseas, it would be quickly reflected in the wool markets of AusAt the time he was in Australia the Japanese competition for wool had been very limited, Mr Miller said, but just before he left Sydney for New Zealand an announcement had been made that Japan would shortly start purchasing 500 bales of wool a day until the end of the year.

The export trade in lambs was very active, and fairly heavy shipments were being made to the London market. With the improvement following on the breaking of the drought, it was expected that a considerably larger quantity of lambs would be exported this year in comparison with previous years. Mr Miller was in Australia during the Federal and Victorian State elections. He was rather struck by the lack of interest shown by the people in the results on the evening of the elections. There were no hoardings giving details as in New Zealand, though information was supplied over the air. Mr Miller said that in Melbourne he asked at least 12 people how the elections were going, and received the answer, "Why worry? It will ( all be in the papers in the morning."