STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3419, 26 September 1919, Page 11

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Weekly Stock Sals*. Buraaide, Wednesi Ashburton, Tuet>da> Addingron, WednesdayWalareka Railway JunoUoo. Tuesdava Wallaoetown, Tuesdays Heriot, Thursdays Fortnightly. Clinton, Thursdays Buloluthu, Fridays Qore, Tuesday* Oamaru, Tuesdays Wallaoetown, Tuesdays Monthly. Palmerstou, lat, Monday "•Vinton, Ist Thursday' Duutrocii, 3nd Friday

Monthly feonltnueif). "ft oodlands, 2nd Thurs^ day "PyndMm. last Thursday I'alfour, 3rd Thursday Thornbury, Ist Friday DuDtroon & Otautau. "nd Friday "Tiversdale, 3rd Friday Waikaka, last Friday Clyiievale, last Tfcur» day Periodically as Adver Used. Lumsden, Moss'ourc, Orepukl, Madura Waikoualtl, -iHerton, Ngapnra. and Otago Centrai tfales.

OTAGO. A fair week in Otago, although, following a deeided rise in the temperature, &■ sudden change in the weather was experienced, and. snow fell on* surrounding hills, which, followed by cold weather, has persisted in lying. No stock losses are anticipated, however; but there is no growth of vegetation, and stock are not doing too well. In Central Otago very similar conditions were experienced, a good deal of snow coming very suddenly;- but unless frost follows not much harm will be done, and the outlook is good. Lambing is becoming fairly general, and, given fair' weather from now on, results should be satisfactory, although some losses due to ewes' poverty of condition have been reported. Potatoes have fallen in price in the Dunedin market; but still at £lO 10s per ton there is room for a much greater decline. The season for new potatoes being in sight will force the delivery of any stocks in hand of growers. The entries far the horse parade at Ashburton are ahead of- those of the 1917 season. Readers are aware, of course, that there will be no parade in Otago. Goodness knows why not. The Commonwealth has decided that local requirements in respect to leather shall be met before export from Australia is allowed, so aro just in this Dominion's dilemma. Two officers from Wellington will be down during the incoming week to report and survey the most suitable site for an hydroelectric cower station in Central Otago. A fortnight ago fully £IOO,OOO worth of rabbitskins were sold in Dunedin at auction by the various agents, and on Tuesday a further lot cf ffbout a similar value were disposed of at for best skins rather dearer prices. O'ne lot brought 17s 7JUI per lb.

BURNSJDE MARKET

The quality of a small yarding at Burnside was under the average, and prices ruled | high—in places some shillings ahead of the previous week's values. Included in the j entry, which were for the most part ! medium to coarse-woolled sheen, wero some 150 hill halfbred wethers in fair to prime condition, these making from 33s to 35s 6d, while about 50 fat hoggets were cleared at up to 35s 9d. Crossbred store hoggets w r ero not apparently wanted, a yard of about 90 (mixed sexes) being passed in at i 21s 3d. -v , ,J The yarding of fat cattle comprised a i mixed lot, some very choice animals being included, all of which sold well at an advance on even Inst sale's prices. Beef in j places certainly touched 70s per 1001 b, and the demand never slackened, although, with many of the pennings being but moderate stores, prices per head seemed most erratic. The yarding of store cattle showed marked improvement in number and quality over recent offerings. About 200 head" _ were offered. 50 of them boing station year-and-a-half-old steers, 20 three-year-old to four-year-old bullocks of moderate breeding but in fair order, an odd pen of mixed coloured yearlings, and the balance "heirlooms" and canners. There was a good demand for all animals showing breeding and feeding, two-year-old to three-year-old fairly forward medium-bred steers making £ll I2s 6d to £l3 12s 6d, Hereford year-and-a-half-old steers (station sorts) £8 _lss, Shorthorn steers (same ages and station-bred) £9 7s 6d, mixed year-and-a-half-old steers £6 ss, and year-and-a-half-old polled steers or crosses £7. About 30 dairy cows and heifers, mostly roughish sorts were offered, and were sold from £7 to £ll. An average entry of fat pigs sold fairly well at about last sale's prices, while rather more small sorts (50) hid attention.

NORTH IST,AND STOCK VALUES. All classes of stock havo made values m the North Island very much on a par with }>rices quoted in our previous report. Beef n the Auckland province was sold to 70s per 1001 b in the Westfield market, hoggets •old from 14s to 225, -well-conditioned hog-

gets 28s to 345, forward wethers round 365. In Taranaki few sheep have changed hands, hoggets sold for 20s to 28s, yearling stesrs from £4- 5s to £6, medium two-year-olds £B, dairy cow 3 £l4- to £2O, heifers (springing! £8 to £l4-. In Poverty Bay hoggets /made from 23s to 31s, two-tooth wethers to 335, dairy cows £l2 to £l4-. In the Wairarapa hoggets made 20s to 30s, medium yearling steers £3 5s to £5, two-year-olds from £8 3s, heifers springing from £7 to £ll. In Hawke's Bay,> mixed hoggets 14s to 235, fair to 295, two-tooth wethers from 22s 6d to 27s 6d, mixed eWes in lamb from 20s to 30s, small yearling bucket steers from £3, milking cows (average) to £l2 10s for a herd of over 50 milkers, rangingi from £7 to £2O, and another lot of 25 averaged £l6 per head.

STOCK NOTES. Business in stock has been comparatively small during the past week in Otago, with values much the same as previous quotations for store stock. Fats are selling freely, with but slight diminution in rates for bsef and mutton. Feed is slow in coming away owing to the low temperature arid lack of sunshine. Best paddock hoggets are worth from 20s. to 26a up to 38s for killable sorts, and inferior from 14s to 18s 6d, store wethers making from 25s to 34s od, fair mixed-agp ewes in lamb from 22s to 34s according to age and condition, good lines are worth more, but are not in the market. Dairy cows range from £9 to £ls, and very moderate two to threo year old 6teers round £8 10s a head. Team horsos are selling fairly well at £3O to £3B.

Lambs are making their appearance in various districts, and a few are ready for tailing, but it will bo a week or two yet before wo are in the thick of it. A big consignment of Corriedalo rams left by the Tofua for. the States of America recently, ex Messrs Ensor, of Whiterock, and 0. T. Evan's estates, over 150 in the consignment. The pure imported bred British Friesian bull calf, Tarvin Zwarte Frits, whoso sire is Mr William C. Jones's and Gerald Smart's famous imported bull, Cymric Frits, and whoso dam is Mr G. B. Radchffe s beautiful imported cow, Tarvin Zwarte Hateumer, was purchased for £3OOO by Lord Rayleigh. Tarvin Zwarte Frits was born on the 25th January last, and his dam's, milk yield is 945g!al in 175 days, her present daily output being 4|gal. This price is probably a record for all breeds in the British Isles. Mrs Putnam, a well-known breeder of Friesians, has recently sold six bulls and two heifers for exportation to South America. Her guarantee sale was to have been held on the 4th inst., but details are not yet to hand. Ah excha?igo says that a trotting record was accomplished by Mr Walter Winans at the mooting of the London Trotting Club at Gi-oonford. Driving his horso Myrtle Leaf he covered a distance of nine miles in 31 minutes 15 1-5 seconds, which is a new record for the world _ for amateur driving in a four-wheeled vehicle. The Royal Agricultural Society, England, received the gratifying information that 'the- Prince of Wales would be the next President —in other words, he will proside when the show is held at Darlington. The 1921 sho\y, it has been decided, will go to Derby, in response to an invitation from the municipal authorities. Japanese buyers have sglected 10 Shropshircs from the M'Eerrow flock at Wisconsin. They are buying 100 head of Shropshires in the United States, and purchased three rams of the Senator Bibby strain from the M'Kerrow flock (says the Australasian). These buyers have also purchased for export a number of Rambouillet merinos from ths flock of Mr D. Lincoln, of Ohio. In addition to the sheep a number of Friesland cows have been bought for Japan. • An average of £440 for 172 head of Shorthorn bulls and cows was made at Chicago. For 38 bulls the average was £696 2s Bd. the highest ever recorded in America. In cows and heifers £I2OO was paid for Maxwelton Gloster, a six-year-old. The top price for bulls was £3900 for a white yearling, Curlham Dreadnought; next came Naemoor Bridegroom at £3200. A herd of Red Poll cattle at Gressenhall, Norfolk (Enc), has boon trader test since 1902, the milk being weighed twice a day. A cow, Peggoty, which has not been dry for three years, averaged BSB4lb milk, with a butter-fat content of 5 per cent. Southgate 6th gave 93651 b milk in her last lactation period, with a test of oyer 6 per cent. Poppy 6th in nine consecutive years averaged ' 10,2271 b milk, and in 1914- gave 13,4491 b milk.

Shorthorna were in great demand at Mr Cazalct's sale at the Home Farm, Tonbridgo. Forty-six averaged £326 16s 6d. Breeding cows were in great order, and mostly in calf to Collynio Clipper King (the 2200 gs purchase at Collvnio in 1916). A 16-year-old cow made 750 gs. Three others made 600 gs to 700 gs, while a prizewinner at the Cardiff Royal making top

prioe, llOOgs, and several others from 500 gs to lOCOgts. These matrons were, for the most part, splendid breeding cows, which produced the high-priced calves at the previous sales.

STERILITY IN MAKES. The financial loss on "barren mares, it is pointed out in an article by Messrs Marshall and Crossland in .the Journal of Agriculture (England), is very heavy; but the stallion is not wholly responsible. The mare is probably as often the cause. Stallion shows are to a very great extent responsible for the .high condition of sires, which means feeding over long periods to promote an undue formation of fat. An excesive quantity of nutriment is prejudicial to the proper discharge of the reproductive functions. Very fat animals do not come in season regularly, and certain of the reproductive tissues become the repositories of fatty substances, and undergo partial degeneration. The change from cooked food, which' stallions are given in their own stables, to dry food on the roads is too drastic, and may be the cause of mares missing. Sires should be travelled in good, hard condition —almost an impossibility (in Victoria) while judges and spectators demand high or extra condition, and the shows and the season practically run straight on. Stallions should bo washed after each service, u.s contagious sterility affecting- the internal generative organs of the mare may bo spread by contact with the penis of the stallion. A mare so infected may be sterile for a long time, or even permanently. A crowd of onlookers is not conducive to successful matins. Repeatedly barren mares would have a better chance if put through a purgative course of several doses at frequent intervals, and if fed liberally on grass. They should not be served at the first signs of "heat," as ovulation takes place at the later stages. Mares should be be served when fatigued after hard _work, nor before going to work, as the chafing of the chains and the continual straining are not conducive to a mare "settling." _ A very harmful practice is that of throwing a bucket of water under the tail or over the back after service. The young mare will remember it, and it may lead to injury of a stallion at a subsequent service. Artificial insemination has given highly satisfactory results in overcoming certain types of barrenness in mares which have been closelv classified, and are known as veterinarians. "Very few cases need be regarded as hopeless in which the "heat" periods recur regularly. On the other hand, mares which are irregular, or are seemingly always on heat, are unlikely to ty-o'-no pregnant through artificial insemination. One of the commonest causes of barrenness in mares is inability to retain the semen after service by a stallion. Recent research work in England and in Japan has proved that in suitable artificial media the spermatozoa of the horse may be got to survive for many hours, or even clays, after ejaculation. It is evident, therefore, that wide possibilities are opened up in regard to the* adoption of methods for increasing fecundity and overcoming avoidable sterility.

CAMPAIGN FOR BETTER COWS. At no time in the history of da.irydom has the dairy cow more nearly svinbolised tho well-chosen saying "foster-mother of the human race" than in this generation. At a time when the foods needed for human consumption have risen to a price which makes it practically prohibitive in many homes, writes Thomas M. Olson, of Wisconsin, in Hoard's Dairyman, the housewife needs to choosa judiciously, so that she can furnish the absolutely necessary, foods with the least expenditure of money. To do this an understanding of food values is paramount. The nutritional value of dairy products has been well established, and "no one can afford to omit it from the diet of the family. A fclrcater and ever greater demand will set_ in for milk products. The questions arise, "Are we prepared to meet the increased demands for dairy products? Have wo an adequate number of dairy, cows? Will our present dairy cows return a profit despite the high price of feed and labour?" The foregoing question? propounded to readers in', the State of Wisconsin touch our Dominion dairy farmers very closely; but lot the writer speak:—Contemporaneous with increased consumption should go the campaign for increased production, and in view of the high price of feed, labour, and all equipment necessary to a well-regulated dairy, that this increase should be brought about, not so materially bv the increase in number of dairy cows, but by improvement in quality. It has been my observation that a dissatisfied dairyman \isually is one who has twioo as many 60-ca!!ed "dairy cows" as he can furnish feed for and care for in such manner that a profit could bs expected. Every business must pay, or eventually it # will bo discontinued. Therefore, the dairy farmer's first consideration in launching in the dairy industry is, "Does it pay?" In a reomt article in an agricultural paper this statement was made: "It always pays to feed a good dairy

cow up to her capacity of production no matter how high-priced feed may be. It never pays to keep a poor cow, no matter how low-prioinl feed may be," The above statement may not be strictly in accordance with scientific findings, yet it contains a truth that should be thoroughly understood and practissd by many of our dairymen. Although Wisconsin stands at the top of the list in dairying, a trip among the dairy farmers of this State reveals the dire need of a well-regulated weeding-out process. Too many star boarders are allowed to fill the space and demand the care of highpriced labour and the use of high-priced feeds to make dairying what it can and should be. A visit to dairy farmers will convince the most optimistic that a great many farmers are not satisfied with thenlot. Complaints are frequently heard regarding their labour, high price of feeds, and small incomes, but I have yet to hear these complaints come from farmers who have carried the first essential of business into their dairying—viz., ascertaining which cows are being kept at a profit and which aire simply boarders that never settle, lnis fact is readily comprehended by the farmer, yet ha does not put it into practice. A campaign of meetings discussing this very important subject would probably jar tne slumbers of some, but that is not adequate to bring results. I have held a number of meetings for the purpose of showing the need of better dairy methods. Practically every farmer would confess to the need of weighing the milk from every cow and testing it yet less than 1 per cent, of the farmers do it The campaign, which in my opinion will do more than any other in putting dairying on a sound financial basis and at the same time increase milk production, js the organisation of cow-testing associations. A cow-testing' association, headed by a tester who understands his work and whose interest' is centred in the improvement, of the dairy cows in his circuit, is an organisation that will be of inestimable benefit to farmers, the State, and the dairy industry. The tester is the dairy farmer's teacher, who brings to him, right on his own farm, the latest and best improved methods of dairying. Not only that, but he is performine! for him a service which would not otherwise be done—that is, recording the milk production, the fat production. th« feed consumption, and the net profit of every cow in his herd, not only once, but 12 times every year. It is beyond human understandinar why any farmer who has n.n opportunity to join such an association for the nominal sum asked should consider it advisable to stay out of such an, organisation. Wisconsin leads in the number of cow-testing associations, yet there are too many farmers who have not seen fit to such an organisation and too many cows which have been immune from its tests. More associations would mean morn dairy cows, because the dalvv farmer would receive a greater profit and more milk for the" amount of consumed nnd labour spent. Lot our slogan bo, "Join a «bowtest.ir.g association J" [Wo invite the Department of Agriculture to institute cow-testing associations in every dairying* district, and adopt the slogan and make a name for itself. —Ac. Ed.]

AGRICULTURAL AMD PASTORAL NEWS. There was a. large attendance on the 16th inst. to farewell Mr and Mrs David Murray and family, who have disposed of their farm at Clvdevale, and will reside in Balclutha. The Murray family are well and favourably known in stud stock circles throughout Otago, and eulogistic references were made by various speakers at the social". Mr and Mrs Murray were the recipients of Morris chairs, and tho Misses M. and A. Murray of o-old wristlet watch and gold bracelet. The annual meeting of the Central Otago A. and P. Association was held at Blacks early in the rrx-nth, Mr J. Clare in tho chair. The renort stated that there was a credit balance "of £33 105,_ and despite tho influenza epidemic necessitating: the postponement of the show last .year they had about held their .own. The report was adopted. Mr C. White was elected president and Mr W. MTntosh vice-president for the ensuing year. No horse parade will be held this season, and the show this year will bo held on December 10. Mr J. Davidsou (Poolburn) was appointed a life-member of the association. Tho annual meeting- of shareholders in the South Otago Freezing company will be held on Friday, October 3, in St. Mark's Hall.

The question -is to _ what extent sheep eould expedite ihe agricultural recovery of the devastated districts of France and Belgium ha 3 been plosely considered by the Agricultural Relief of Allies Committee, who recently sent two experienced sheepbreeders to inquire into the conditions now prevailing in the war zone. Over a large area of tho battlefield there is now a rich srrowth of herbaore which could be profitably grazed by sheep, but this area is so vast that such an experiment could only be attempted on an adequate scale 'by the

Government in each country, and then only if sufficient sheep could be procured. Hero and there, however, farmers are returning - , and to those who have had experience of 8.. j p tno Agricultural ilelief of Allies Committee contemplate a gift of British annuals. Conditions ((favourable to the introduction of«Buch sheep exist on many parta of tho front, _ and with the co-operation of the breed societies flocks are being obtained which will eventually be sent to those districts where they can be properly looked after, and where they will bo of the greatest benefit under present conditions. The French agricultural authorities ara greatly interested in this feature of tha committee's work, and the Department of the Somme has undertaken to place a flocks of British sheep at tho departmental farm near Boves, and to dispose of a nortion of tho progeny to sheep farmers as they return to their holdings on tye Somme. Tha Belgian Ministry of Agriculture' is also prepared to make special arrangements in order that the committee may assist tha stricken farmer in the Yser Valley as far as possible by gifts of British sheep. Millers in Victoria, owing to the uncertainty which exists as to the future prica of wheat for flour for local consumption, now supplied at 5s a bushel, have put a provision in their contracts with bakers that, in > tho event of tho cost of wheat beingi raised whilo tho contract is running, tho contract price will be increased accordingly. Tho Minister for Customs (New South Wales) has been advised by the Commonwealth High Commissioner in London that the restrictions on tho importation of food* stuft'3 into the United Kingdom were cancelled on September 1, and information has been received that the following are the prices ruling for grain, 1919 crop, tho Imperial Government guaranteeing a free market: —Wheat and rye, per* quarter of siMlb, 71s lid; barley, per 4401 b, 61s 6dj oats, nor 3361 b, 44s Id. Mr Grahame, New South Wales Minister of Agriculture, announced recently that his Government had decided to givo the farmers a guarantee of 5s a bushel on the 1920-21 wheat crop, instead of a guarantee of 4s a bushel, as for the 1919-20 crop. Mr Grahamo added that the Federal Wheat Board had announced that in futuro tha price of wheat for homo consumption would be on the London parity, which to-day was 5s 6d.

The sixth annual meeting of the New Zealand Sugar of Mii'k and Casein Company waa held on the 17th. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report «rnd balance sheet, said that the result of iho year's trading had been very satisfactory, and he loked forward to another good season in the coming year. Last year's conditions had been somewhat out of the, ordinary on account of stoppages of worn, due to the influenza epidemic and th>> floods, but things were now more normal Mr H. F. Nees, in seconding tho motion, eaid it was very satisfactory to noti->e chaO the percentage of sugar extracted from the. whey had* increased during the year. A 1 dividend of 6 per cent, per annum wa3 declared, and Messrs G. M. Mac Lean ami H. F. Wright were elected directors. Messrs Barr, Leary, and Co. were reappointod auditors for the ensuing year. "he mert'i g terminated with a vote*' of thanks to t; e factory manager (Mr J. Chism) and his staff.

One of the biggest shipments of Corriedales which has ever left New Zealand foe the United States of America is carried by the Tofua, which sailed from Wellington recently. One hundred one-shear Corriedale rams and three stud rams are from the flock of Mr E. H. Ensor, of Whiterock, and 50 ram hoggets are from the flock of Mr O. T. Evans, Woodgrove. "New Zealand has not been touched yet as a farming proposition," said Mr J. 11. Joll (Hawke's Bay) at the Farmers' Conference, held in Wellington last week, when the question of trafficking in land was under consideration. "Soon tne ropulation will treble, and I can foresee tho time when land will bring £250 per acre in this dominion —■ and it will be worth it."

From tho country along the main lino south (says the Poverty Bay Herald) como reports of heavy sheep losses. It Was stated in Napier that hardly a lamb had been left alive on portions of the plains surrounding Takapau, but confirmation of the statement is not available. Largo numbers of sheep carcases were seen gtoing down tfoa Tuki Tuki at Waipukurau. That river was in high flood, but the water was getting away well.

M.4XCRIVG OF PARI4JRE?. In Farm, Field, and Fireside "Cheviot'* writes in an interesting manner on soma aspects of manuring grass areas, as affecting not only the yield, but th© character of tho herbage. Every field has a characteristio vegetation, and a strenuous competition goes on between different kinds of grasses, clovers, and weeds. He says : " Certain manures fertilise certain plants more than others, and so bv applying tho proper manures the valuable grasses or clovers may be encouraged until the worthless ones are almost exterminated. In this way the nature of the grass is changed l enormously, and pastuers are converted into rich ones. It is better to lay up the same land for hay each year; grazing tho aftermath only, and, in the same way, always to graze other land rather than graze and hay in alternate years. In thia way we' obtain the fullest development of those grasses and clovers which are suited to haying and grazing: respectively. For the same reason tho system of manuring, once adopted, should be varied as little a 3 possible, for even manures as similar as nitrate of soda and sulphate of ammonia, encourage different kinds of grass. "On poor land any large expenditure of manures will be wasted. The character of the herbage must bo slowly re-formed, a full manuring being utilised only when there aro plenty ..of strong and vigorous grasses and clovers among the vegetation. Turning now to more special cases, it is obvious -that land which is growing hay requires a manure that is mainly nitrogenous, whilo pastures, require a mineral manuring. On, strong loams, with a good mixed herbage, a dressing of 10 to 15 tons of farmyard manure should be given every fifth year. In other years a winter manuring of 2cwt per acre of superphosphate and lgcwfc of sulphate of ammonia will bo remunerative., On all old grass land an occasional dressing of ground lime at any rate of half a ton an acre applied in tho early winter (best in the year following the dunging) will sweeter the herbage and utilise the reserves of past manuring. "On strong clay soils tho 2cwt or superphosphate should be replaced by 3cwt or 4owt of basio slag; < the potash can be reduced or even omitted. On light soils, either sandy or chalky, . the nitrogenous manures are the most important; dungf

and cake-feeding the aftermath will best build_ up a vigorous herbage, and until this is done it will not be wise to spend much money on sulphate of ammonia, lewt of superphosphate and 3cwt of potash being about the best proportion in which

to employ them. On the poor clay land that is mostly covered with bent-grass, it will not be profitable to use any nitrogenous manures until the herbage has been radically changed. It is best to begin with a large dressing oi basio slag, lOcwt per acre;

then a smaller dressing of basic slag- (or on some soils 3cwt of a potash manure like kainit) will maintain the clovers. These in their turn will irive place to the better grasses."

FACTS AM) FIGURES REGARD. IXG AUSTRALIAN WOOL. Mr Franc B. S. Falkiner, of Haddon Rig Station, Warren, New South Wales, and a member of the Central Wool Committee, speaking at the official luncheon at the Sydney Sheep Show 7 this month, gave some interesting- particulars regarding the work of the Wool Committee, particulars-that can be taken as authoritative. He said that between 22nd November, 1916, and 24th May last, the committee had assessed and paid for, with the exception of" this year's 10 per cent, retention money, 4,917,000 bales of wool, the amount handed over being no less than £104,000,000. The 1916-17 clip worked out at 14.15 d, 1917-18 14.68 d, and 1918-19 would be close to 15d. This is a very satisfactory announcement, as the general belief was that the figure would not come as high as that mark. Mr Falkiner went on to say that for scouring and repacking £750,000 had been spent, and the classification of the clip under the appraisement scheme showed that 75 per cent, of tho wool of Australia was combing, 12 per cent, clothing, and 12£ per cent, carbonising sorts. That was a feather in tho cap of Bheep-<preeders. Economies, amounting to over £300,000, effected in

appraisement, have paid for the establishment of sheds with a storage capacity of 1,000,000 bales. The whole of the work of administration, said the speaker, had been done honorarily, and the scheme generally had been loyally supported. There were in Australia to-day 1,250,000 bales of wool.

Replying to a critic who stated that as breeders were receiving only 15d, at which price tops are worth 42d, the British Government was making a profit ,of 78 per cent, on tops, Mr Falkiner said; “As a matter of fact, that critic neglected to take into consideration appraisment • charges, cost of storage, exchange, interest in Australia for at least 12 months, marine insurance, war risk, freight railage to Bradford, English port charges, administration and interest in England, so that the cost of the tops to the British Government is something like old. I do not think that _ the growers sold the wool to Great Britain to make money out of her in her hour of extremity. Had we been neutrals we might have got more for it. But Great Britain has paid for our wool, and she has financed the war—facts which we must not forget. She advanced us money, £47,000,000, for the maintenance of our armies, and as a wool-grower I think we have had a very good price for our product. The pastoral industry kept Australia going during the war, and found money for our war loans and taxes. I wish to say that we pastoralists do not object to being taxed, but we do ask for sympathetic administration and better service from the Government. We want more cross-country railways to enable us to cope with droughts, and we hold that we should nc*t bo on income each individual year. This drought has proved that, and as pastoralists we suggest that we should be taxed on average income.”