AFTER THE BROUGHT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 78710, 11 January 1904, Page 2

AFTER THE BROUGHT.

BBPBESSIO^MT^PLACE TO

"New South Wales is fast recovering from the depression from which she suffered during tbe^vere drought" remarked Mr J. P-. Stewart, M.8.C.V.5., Government Veterinary Surgeon of New tinnth Wales to a New Zealand Times represenlt^ rec,a(ly, Mr Stewart is spending a fortnight in this colony on rfftnartmental business, and during his ftTy S'e he *$ taks >he opportunity of making himself acquainted with some of the diseases stock in this colony are says Mr Stewart, is going ahead by leaps and bounds m New Scuth Wales, on the/northern coasts particularly. New county is being taken up for settlement, and Victorian farmers are acquiring land, in the tapper Eichmond district Vn??™S COWB ,arß, arß *£ tching from £15 t? £20 for good milkers, and in some cases over that amount. The southern coast district is looking remarkably well, and ffa© stock is in good conditl0 The growth of grass is very abundant, but unfortunately, there is not sufficient stock to eat it, off. Where at drought time the country was absolutely bare of feed, in some parts prame grass ing over ten fab high, and lanes had to be made through it to get sheep to the shearing sheds*, as they would not face it The harvest prospects are extremely satisfactory; more wheat has been culti vated than ever before, as farmers,, deprived 6f much *ol* their" stock through the drought, have put their frontages under crops, with very cheering results. Questioned .in regard to diseases m stock in New South *Wales, Mr Stewart observed that one or two isolated cases of anthrax had, been reportoed during' ;hf year, but the mortality from the disease 1 , is infinitesimal compared to wha,t it was in former times. Mr Stewart is of tne opinion that New Zealand is doing the right thing in erecting sterilising plants for the compulsory treatment of all imported bonedust, particularly that from foreign countries. The progress made in New South Wales in. eradicating swine fever is,, says Mr btewart, iff every way satisfactory. Addiucmal inspectors have been appointed in order that the disease might be kept under thorough control. At the^ present time only four piggeries in the county if, Cumberland were regarded as suspicious, and these were quarantined. From all tine other piggeries in the, same county the quarantine restrictions had since been removed- - Speaking of the general outlook througpout the Commonwealth, Mr Stewart saiJ the crop reports from Queensland and Victoria were very favourable, and the indications all round showed that a rapid recovery was being made from the effects of the lata drought.