RAIN WELCOME IN QUEENSLAND

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29401, 31 December 1960, Page 4

RAIN WELCOME IN QUEENSLAND

Graziers’ Prospects Of Good Year

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) BRISBANE, December 29.

Rain has saved many Queensland graziers from financial ruin, and put them on the way to a bumper year. Country that was parched last week is now showing its first signs of green.

The president of the United Graziers’ Association (Mr C. B. P. Bell) said this today. He added: “The rain has come just at the right time and will give graziers a chance to get a good winter lambing. “Rain like this so early, with a reasonable certainty of more in the normal wet season; should put a lot of persons back on their feet again.” Mr Bell said there were certain to be some stock losses, but it was difficult to estimate how big these would be. He said the tragedy of the rain was that the parched south-west had again missed the fall. “SWAGGIE” STILL ON ROAD “Russian Jack’s” Travels “The Press" Special Service WELLINGTON, Dec. 30. One of the few genuine “swaggies” still bn the road, “Russian Jack,” passed through Pahiatua last week. An old man now, he has been a familiar, figure on country roads for more than half a century. He carries all his worldly possessions in a two-chaffsack pack, plus a half kerosene tin inside which are a few handfuls of dry grass for tinder, and a treacle tin billy. His wants are few—a little tucker, a pipeful of tobacco, which he is not slow to beg from the many people who question him as to his travels, and for special occasions, a glass or two of beer. Little information can be obtained from “Russian Jack,!’ who derives his name from his country of birth and his longforgotten and to most people unpronounceable surname, for his hearing is not the best. This so far is the only real sign of his age, which must now be climbing close-to the century mark.