QUEENSLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2668, 3 May 1905, Page 8

QUEENSLAND.

Brisbane, April 9. March has again proved a disappointment to those whculooked for a break in the long spell of dry weather which it has been our lot to encounter, and though at the time of writing good to fair rains a.re falling over a considerable area af the southern and a portion of the central district, yet those areas of the State whore it can be said that the drought has never yet thoroughly broken are still unrelieved, and%Winton and the Flinders River district; in particular are in a very bad state. It is said that' from these areas some 200,000 sheep .will have to be travelled to agistmenfc country unless rain falls within the next few weeks, so that the imminence of tbe trouble is very great. A favourable feature of the situation is that the rains which are now falling are gradually making their way up nofEn. Originally limited to the Downs and j>xoreton districts, they have gradually spread west and north, and the prospects •of an extension of the precipitation to the drought-affected area seem very good. The Darling Downs and south-eastern coastal districts are just at present receiving the benefit of good heavy showers, which, though sporadic and light at first, have developed into really good soaking rains, which, will d/o a world of good t_o the pastures, and will help to keep up the supply of cream, whioh had begun to be affected by the hot, dry weather previously experienced. The need of rain was also very badly felt, as it was desired to break up the ground preparatory to sowing cereals and lucerne, and throughout the downs and the grain-growing areas of tihe Maranoa ploughing will soon be in full swing. Un the downs a very considerable area will this year be planted; with lucerne, as the fat lamib and dairying business is taking hold of the more up-to-date farmers. Along blue coastal districts fairly good rams have been recorded, though in 'some localities the good season has a set-off in the presence of a plague of grasshoppers, which have made themselves particularly obnoxious to several of the cane districts, and also around Gladstone and in the Peak Downs and Gulf districts. In the agricultural areas immense damage is being done by these* insects in the destruction of maize and the stripping of the sugar-cane. The Government Entomologist has been endeavouring to discover the destructive parasite to the grasshopper, and claims that he has been successful in his search, having verified the lines, "And they have small&r still to bite 'em, and so proceed ad infinitum." In the pastoral districts the pest seems to a certain extent to provoke a following of various descriptions of birds, which are accounting for considerable numb&ns of the insects. The prevalence of dry weather has deadened the stock markets, which were none too lively before, and no transactions of any moment are recorded. As to cattle, the dryncss of the northern stock routes is interfering; both -with sales and frith the starting

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* of mobs for sale in the southern markets. Preparations, however, are being made on many of the Gulf runs for starting cattle for the south, and as soon as rains fall in sufficient quantity to open the routes considerable number will leave the district. Elidman is reported to have made big purchases up Camooweal way, and in other centres. From Brunette Downs he is said to have ■ purchased 2000 head, and a similar number from Rocklands and Alexandria Downs, whilst Spring Vale and Glenormi&ton also dealt with trie cattle king 'for smaller num.The. grain market is decidedly dull, miller^ appearing to be fully stocked for some tim© ahead. A a result no public auction' sales { are being held in this centre, and the price of prime wheat may now be nominally 1 quoted at 3s 3d per bushel. Tbe rains over tihe Darling Downs, Moreton, and North Coast districts, already referred to, will have a most beneficial effect in maintaining supplies of cream, which were beginning to decline in consequence of the prolonged dry spell. The new Dairy Act came into operation at the end of March, but owing to the impossibility of properly grading butter which was in a frozen state in tbe cold stores, it was decided to practically initiate the new system on the departure of tihe next deep-water boat from this port, wihen the butter will be examined and graded as it arrives from the country (if intended for storage in Brisbane), or at the factories up country before it is placed in the freezing chambers. Excellent prices are still maintained, and it is anticipated that a very considerable and expanding business will be done during the winter months with Victoria and* Western Australia. A marked feature in pastoral matters at the present moment is the demand for horses. A considerable number of buyers have made their appearance in various centres of this liftate, and many-jjf-tihem are ' credited with holding large haying orders, in some instances for 4000 or 5000 head for tho Japanese- Government. Mr Eli Carter has purchased Aberfoyle Station, on the Torrens Creek road, from the executors of the late T. De M. Murray-Prior, and (it ia said) intends to use it as a horse depot. Mr Carter is said to have secured a commission, to buy 4000 horses for the Japanese army, and has several buyers scouring the country for suitable lots ; some good purchases have already been effected. Aberfoyle, it may be mentioned, was sold some two years ago, the trouble being lack of water, but the present owner intends to meet this difficulty by sinking below bores. Mr Carter is also said to have purchased Delta Downs, in the Gulf district.