WHAT THE DROUGHT COST QUEENSLAND

Evening Star, Issue 17328, 16 April 1920, Page 8

WHAT THE DROUGHT COST QUEENSLAND

| _ I.vidence u;vfii ho fore the Land Appeal | L'-->v.-i at lirisbane la.-t month threw Vmne I Ljlht upon the severe trials of wwt?ni : jiastordlUu through the vi-ars of d.-oi-T!,' : netwe.n 1914 and 1917. the <:,?e was'ono 'u which Donald AI'LeoJ Cam-non and Herbert, Xnpicr 1.-eonard appealed auainst , the decision of the Land" t'orot iii th; i matter of the determination of rent to :be charged for Hosran Thi.lia bo'oi,i :; , S district, d'arinrr tbe second period ,of the lease. Mr V. A. Do.iiilns. for respondents, said tha ; ; iia to 1915-16 the . Unancial Jivs or. the holdinc was £l4 84? ."'■:d in 1916-17 the lessee? fet .€12.636. 1i JSIB a profit of £10.042 was made. In ) 1919 there was a profit of £2,524. There i had been a lo;s of about £IO.OOO altogether on the holding. It cost at least £SOO per annum to keep the place clear of prickly pear, and it would cost at least £5.000 t-o destroy the middy pear. Donald Cameron said that he' and his pa.v.mr had paid £50.C00 for the p:o----pertv in 121,4 on the "walk in. walk out"' principle. There were then on the rda-e 15.000 head of cattle, includinj calves, which were maturing. :nd 100 hor.-s! ']"!<■■ in.Tc-oveir.c'its were valred at £4,622 and the !err-e at £j.363. The cattle and : t.orses wen valted at £'12,7:0. The area 1o; (!;.. nvoDcrtv •«= 900 s'piare mile*, in ots lo*s through drought, and in two vent-.; *■!.,- >":-.-W of cattie had decreased by ner.rly IC\OCO head.