QUEENSLAND AS IT IS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 11371, 2 September 1908, Page 5

QUEENSLAND AS IT IS.

(To the Editor of the Herald.) Sir, — In yesterday's issue you copied a letter published m tho Wairarapa Daily Times from "Darling Downs Nati\ r e," which is most misleading and untrue. One would think to read it that snakes Avere quite common, "he having trod on them and had them coil round his leg." Having just returned from a three-Aveeks' trip on the Darling Downs and Western Queensland, covering some 2000 miles, I may say I never saw a snake, and as far as the death adders he talks about, they are about as rare as the tuatara lizard is m New Zealand. I think St. Patrick must have landed m Queensland, since the native left, as you have about as much chance of seeing one hoav as you have of striking a winner m a Tattersall's sweep. I did see 6ome snakes m the Brisbane Museum, but they were m glass bottles m spirits of wine, and quite safe from molesting anyone. His concluding remarks about immigrants coming m greatnumbers and then finding their way to the Southern States is just the opposite of what I found, as I there met several NeAV South Wales men who had sold out their farms on the Hunter river at £20 to £15 per acre, and had invested m Queensland at £3 to £5 for equally good land. A Mr Williamson, from Victoria, had just bought a 6500-acre block on the Downs:- The drought struck him bad m Victoria, and he could not sell his stock, Avhich Avere high-class halfbred ewes, so he chartered a steamer named the Centennial, loaded her up Avith 5000 sheep, 250 cattle, and some horses, and landed them at Brisbane, where they were trucked straight away to his farm. This does not look like leaving for Southern States. I have farmed both m the North and South Islands, have been through the Argentine, Canada, and the United States, also all the Australian colonies, and 1 have no hesitation m saying that there are greater opportunities offering to the large or small farmer m Queensland than m any other part of the world.— I am, etc., ■ ■ G. J. B,