QUEENSLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2647, 7 December 1904, Page 8

QUEENSLAND.

Brisbane, November 8. "Very beneficial rains have fallen during the - month over large areas of both the coastal and inland districts. Longreach, Barcaldine, Tambo, Muttaburra, Winton, Hughenden, and: Boulia all advise having had good, though somewhat patchy, storms, which have benefited/ the country immensely. ' Indeed, in some quarters the statement is made that the position is for the next six months. Dams and tanks have been filled, the creeks are running, and come of the inland rivers are in f-uir floo3." There are, however, very large areas which were not favoured 1 with" tain, or where the> fall was insufficient, but now that the dry spell is broken it ia hoped that the. recent storms are but » prelude to further and more general rains. Along tho coast some of the sugar areas are complaining of the lack of rain, and! many of the coastal cattle runs would 1 like a more abundant rain than so far has fallen to their lot. The agricultural districts have had all .they want, and hopes are expressed that we shall not-have a repetition of last year's misßaps — too- much) rain' on . the ripening crops. Harvesting, is now in progress in the .Maranoa, and tho stripper is largely in demand there, as the growth of straw has not been too , rank. On the rich soil of the Downs the late, rains have caused a rapid growth, and in many places the stalk is too. tali for" stripping, and the reaper and binder, with its attendant expenses, will have tobe resorted to. The dairying industry has at once responded to the improved: rweaffieTT^q&ra^^Bi^^a^d^i^gehial spring, | anH the" butter andi eEeefe^nfectoTies^B^e^S*^ | creasing their' output to a very considerI able extent. j The market for station properties and all | descriptions of stock is very dull, no sale 3 | being made of the former and very few of the latter. i Realising the necessity of improving the ! quality of Queensland dairy stoofc, the Department of Agriculture commissioned Mr j James Stewart, one of their dairy inspecI tors,- to visit England! for the purpose of ; purchasing and bringing out some good ; types of cattle and pigs. The stock, which | comprise 28 head of cattle and 16 pigs, have just been landed at Pinkenba.