DROUGHT'S HOLOCAUST.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 23, 28 January 1908, Page 8

DROUGHT'S HOLOCAUST.

SHEEP AND LAMBS TO THE SLAUGHTER. The hot days are unpleasant for the sheep and lambs in two ways ; their commons are short and dry, and when their tongues hang out there is no iced claret for them around the corner. This parching, however, is only a preliminary to a greater tiibulalion, the round-up, the muster at the slaughter yards, the sad procession to the shambles tinder ths leadership of the hearttebs decoys. The lack of feed' in the present and the prospects of shortage aie said to be inducing pastoralists to ba hurrying then 1 stock to the killing pens, and the knives are going briskly. Many a sheep, which in a normal year would have had a few more weeks of sunshine and tho rolling downs is doomed to once go into the darkness. "Both <>heep and lambs have been coming in faster than usual this yeaT," said a representative of one largo firm to a Post representative to-day. ''In both classes, more particularly in lamba, there is a noticeable fa-iling oil' in quality. This deficiency in condition was not so apparent in the early part of this month ; it is only recently that it has begun to to be emphasised. If the dry weather continues, who knows what will happen." Tiie rape upon which the ftinueva nrb depending for fattening their lambs badly needs ram. Unless good showers come soon there is bound to be a lot of secondquality stock on the market." An executive officer of another firm suid he could not say that the weather had yet made much difference to his company, but of course, if the farmers commenced to run out of feed a change would come. He was inclined to believe that the position was not quite so serious as iome of the men on the land alleged. "The' farmer is never happy unless he is unhappy," he exclaimed paradoxically, and laughingly expanded hi» witticism. His contention was that tho farmer ■was habitually a grumbler, whatever happened, and though he now had some cause for outcry, the position was not uo blue as it was painted.

At 2 o'clock to-morrow, Messrs. W. 11. Morrah and Co., will sell by public auction on the premises, 13, Marion-street, housohold furniture-Tind effects, the contents of an eight-roomed houta.