THE DROUGHT IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6422, 17 June 1882, Page 7

THE DROUGHT IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

During the drought the Dubbo correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald ■n-rotn From this to Cannonbar (120 milc3] there is not a mouthful of grass. From here to the Bogan, and along that river for 60 or 70 miles, the same state oi things exist. On the Castlereagh-road, as far as Gilgandra, no grass, and only very littlo water. There is little or no stock on any runs. The deaths have been beyond calculation, and those who have been lucky to get the remnants of their flo-ks and herds away to the grassed lands are to be congratulated. Few, however, it is to bo feared, took time by the forelock ; if they had, they mijjht have been able to save many thousands of sheep and cattle, whose bones are bleaching in paddocks, now without a vestige of pasture, but which in ordinary seasons were like meadows. On the Lower Macquarie, Omarra, and Castle rcngli they are all right, plenty of grass and water ; and on the Jlarthaguy Creek they have also feed for the winter. To pive some idea of the terrible character of tho times we, are passiug through, one or two facts will suffice. On the Bogan, out of 7000 lambing ewes, tho increase saved was one lamb. On stations on tho Macquarie, which arc renowned for their fattening- pastures, their is not a bit of meat to be obtained. Cattle for killing purposes have to be purchased either in Dubbo or from the drivers of travelling mobs. The farmer as well as the squatter is suffering. Nearly all those who combine grazing with tilling tho soil are large losers. And, to add to their trouble, many of them arc, owing to the hardness and dryness of the ground, unable to plough. If there is not a change before long it will be impossible to sow any grain. ■Several have made attempts since the showers on the 27th April to plough, but feu- hive been successful. There is, therefore, on every side desolation staring us in the face—a bad winter and a drought such ::s no one in these parts has ever experienced. Since IS7 t we have had only two average seasons. The remainder have been from fair to bad. The present is, however, the consummation, and what makes it so much f(.'lt is the knowledge that squatters will not this year he able to gain the crumb of comfort which is included in a wool clip, or the farmer have a crop. Last year we hail a fair clip of wool, and some wheat and hay. If there be not a great change before long there is no chance of the latter, and no matter whether rain comes or not there will be very littlo of tho former. Instead of 1,-100,000 sheep being shorn in the sheep district of Dubbo, there will probably le 200,000. This means, of course, a large loss to individual owners, a falling oil in the demand for labour, and loss to the State. Tho wool of 1,200,000 sheep is worth from £90,000 to £100,000, and that is something to lose,