AUSTRALASIAN LIVE STOCK STATISTICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9086, 21 June 1888, Page 6

AUSTRALASIAN LIVE STOCK STATISTICS.

' ■*> PROGRESS OF NEW ZEALAND. The following tabular statement of the number of live stock in the seven colonies known as Australasia for the years 1888 and 1881 will be of interest as showing what progress has been made in each colony as it regards farm animals for the past seven years, and how New Zealand takes the leading position as to increase of stock :—

It will be seen from these figures that while, during the past seven years, stock has increased in Australasia to the extent

of something like 8,500,000, yet that the increase has not been at the same rate in each colony. In fact, Tasmania shows a considerable decrease, Victoria and South Australia not having made much headway. As to those colonies having the largest increase in the number of stock, New Zealand heads the list with better than 4,000,000, Queensland coming next with 2,000,000, followed by New South Wales with 1,600,000. The main increase has been in sheep, these stock having become more numerous in all the colonies save South Australia and Tasmania. It speaks well for New Zealand that, not withstanding the rabbit pest, and the vast quantity of mutton shipped home during the past few years, sheep have increased from nearly 13,000,000 to nearly 16,600,000, a larger increase than that of the elder colony of New South Wales. In three colonies out of the seven every description of stock has increased, these three being New Zealand, Queensland, and West Australia. It will be noticed that there are not so many cattle at the present time in Australasia as there were seven years ago, this decrease being caused by the very large diminution in the cattle put down to New South Wales, a little more than 800,000. In the other colonies, with the exception of South Australia, cattle have increased— this colony, in fact, by almost 200,000. In pigs New Zealand heads the list with close upon 370,000, Victoria coming next with 241,000, New South Wales following with 209,500 decrease in the last colony of nearly 100,000; while during the same time the numbers have increased by nearly 170,000 in this country. As to horses, New Zealand occupies only the fourth place in regard to numbers. There has been a steady increase in every colony excepting New South Wales, which appears to have less by a few thousands than she had some years ago. Looking at the above statement as a whole, these Australasian colonies have reason to be proud of their resources in live stock when their numbers now reach the big total of 97,000,000 and upwards, numbers that will compare very favourably with other countries; and holding second place amongst these colonies in regard to stock, New Zealand has been making good progress as a colony, thanks to the superb climate and the energy and perseverance of the farmers and owners of stock. All that is required is an outlet for meat, dairy produce, and other products, and the increase of stock will still continue. In addition, however, to the progress of this colony in regard to stock, it may not be generally known that there is more land under cultivation in New Zealandi.e., including artificial pastures—than in all the other Australian colonies put together. Hayter's "Year Book" for 1884-5 supplies the following:—"Land under cultivation in Victoria, 2,323,493 acres ; do. in New South Wales, 552,027 acres ; do. in Queensland, 199,580 acres ; do. in South Australia, 2,785,490 acres; do. in Western Australia, 79,669 acres ; do. in Tasmania, 425,845 acres, making a total of 6,666,104 acres. The latest statistics show that there are 6,729,110 acres under cultivation in New Zealand." Aoricola.

18S8. j Total. Pigs. Cattle. Colony. 41,108,387 361,663 Zealand.. 187, Queensland 12,553,178 1,303,265 7,418,359 163,807 168,420 1,960,340 1,809,071 88,254 1,860,413 29,684 86,352,020 8,264,778 1881. 2,182,226 14,045,541. . 12,162,051 3,618,513 Queensland 12,164,004 10,360,285 1,286,267 275,516 7,406,170 314,918 169,678 1,385,206 Australia 1,847,479 27,805 88,665,165 8,294,096 totals 1,215,013