DROUGHT SPECTRE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15223, 22 May 1920, Page 9

DROUGHT SPECTRE.

IN NEW SOUTH WALES. ! AN OMINOUS WINTER PROSPECT. COLD AND STARVATION. The general break m the "big drought" came m May, 1903. - Will history repeat itself this month? If it dbea not, it is diffioult to see any escape from a calamitbii,t disaster overtaking the pastoral industry^says- the Sydney Daily Telegraph) The-iirought over a ■ large portion of the State is m its third year. By most strenuous e^orts and 'afc ruinous expense the majority of the stock have been kept alive. BUt winter is at hand, and poorconditioned stock cannot survive • both starvation and cold. With pastures bare even the roughest of feed, sueh i as unpalatable, innutritious scrub; pfeity well exhausted,' and fodder difficult to get even at fdmine prices, if owners had the money to pay for it, the passing of every rainless day increases th^ sorest apprehension for the early future; . ? . The whole of the western slopes and plains from the Murray to the Queensland border are drought-gripped, held by a drought of long and increasing intensity. In most districts it cart hardly become worso. It only remams to be seen low much more toll it will claim m unimar life, and how much can be saved teforo the break oomeg. THE BRIGHTER SPOTS. On the tablelands the position* is not so desperate. In the south/ especially m Southern Monaro, It is even good. Coonia, for instance, reports that "feed and water are plentiful, and all local stock are m splendid' condition. "A "large number of fat, stock of exceptionally good quality is forwarded twice a week to market." . . ; Throughout the coastal districts conditions are fair to good,, and even the f roughest country is being- sought as- a haven for starving stock from inland, a repoKt from Casino reveals nature m such a luxuriant mood as to seem to mock the tribulations of those m drought land" Thus: "Everything is looking ecxeedingly* well. Stock are all m good condition Late crops arc going well. Owing to the continuous rains of the last few, weeks the roads' are m a very bad state."' ■ Brief extracts from the latest official reports of district stock inspectors, how? ever, indicate without sensational color* ing the parlous position m the main pas total • sections' of the State. F THE DARK SIDE. . In the Narrandef a- 'district the outlook for the approaching winter is very seriouv indeed. Largo numbers of stock are re turning from relief country m the mouii tain districts, and have- to be hand-fed, avery 'great expense and under cxtremi difficulties. . ' ; ■* ■ '■■„ ■• :i \. : , :..•;• <o Large numbers of stock ,*ar& -still leaVmg the Walgejft district -daily m search tor grass, travelling •(. mostly toward* Queensland. Those that /remain arc ' ■■«> many cases to "weak td travel. The outlook, is very gloomy with winter ap proacftitfg. Stock, that have held up al the summer seem sure 'to perish if a cold' droughty whiter sete' in., illy • i. Pastoral -■ conditions throughout tb» Broken Hill district are >exftce.dingly badThe drougm is playing thavdc with th* sheep. Both ■ feed land water are veTT scarce. On mariv holdings heavy losse"; are ocourring daily. The lambing threat ens.topbe a. complete failure* f The lamb: a*te 'tying killed 6ft most holdings to savif the owes. The pastoral industry m tbi: district has never had- such a> tryimr time.. If the drought Continues for am other month disaster must follow. ■There^is 'practically no feed throughou the northerrT portion of the, - Mossgiel dip trict. ■"■ Most statidris' are cutting serui for stoftk. There is mo' escApo, from heavj losses of stock as cold weather sets' ir of the twelve Government tanks ir the district are dry, and two of tho othr throe are low . >■■' - „ ( "• RIVERINA PEELS TPE PINCH. Grazing prospects are ve^ry bad m th Jen dene district. Stock are being ar« ; ficially fed on > the' greatf hiaiority of hole ings. , Up to the present, however, ver few'hAve died. 5 . In thefUrana district owners arc hand feeding all the stock, including sheep rr turned from agistmerit. country where fee has given out. One station is hahd-fee^ ing 40,000 sheep. ' Cfttlle arc poor, an.' many have died. Many horses ate suite • mg fromisaiid accumtaafcidnl through lick irtjr up feed . fro)n &u> fast. ':■ - ■ . - •, The .runs m the Hillatbn district ar< devoid- ■p( l feed, r and stock :is btill bein Bent away for grass. The dro^ht hr killed off young -timber -m many, 1 ' DEVASTATED LAOHLAN COUNTRY Tho whole of tho Oondobplin district i j quite devoid of natural feed,- but th water supply is fairly good. Stock other than those lately returned froj agistmeßt country; are jibor and dy inp The oiiMook Was nevex'befbre so 'bad i the history of the district. Stock ar being returned from aglet men t countr; to ; be hanil-fed. There cannot possibl; lie any lambing, and losses m lambinj ewos will bo heavy. • ■ The whole of the Forbes district i: very bare*;- ,notHin^^bjtttvi ( cd earth fomilea.- 3Vat6^P i^.~tairly%lohtiful, but i; most cases is mselesa for stock, as ther< ignoifeed near-it. Ail stock are m ; deplorable cbn'dittohv "<*t6 jigett'Ja'^d cattli. are 1 nothing " but 1 waiknig skeletons . Scorcß of horses are dying everywhon from sheer starvation. /Feed is too ex pensive for the -poorer owners of horser to purchase, I and they have no alterna tive but to .turn Ahem, out to die. Poxei aro plentiful,^'ana? doing well on the car cases of .dead - ;. Throughput IRie greater > portion of th< 'Molong district- tbere , ,is "no grass, anc stbek are either being fed on scrub oy hand-fod. All stock are healthy, bu ; many are m low condition. There ar< deaths amongst cattle from continuou; feeding on scrub.' ' ' j " ' . IN THE NORTH AND WEST. The drought continues severe m the Coonamble district." -•There is no pasture and all stock are ■* dependent upon thi bores for water. Stock aro m fair condi tion m places, 1 an'dvery^ poor and dyinf m others. Onjy points, of rain fcl ia ithe firstfour mdnths ! «lf. the fyear. The drought continues throughout th' Jnverell districb,- more particularly m thf western portion :•.,...'.' Scrub-cutting- is still general through out 'the Cobar" distfidt. "Hprs^B and olt, tfa^le' and ' fheep aie dying" everywherV Evert the "younger stock are m poor con dition. - ~ The drought has assiuned a senou*" aspect m thei Dubbo district. Horspr cattle, and I 'sheep 'are dying of starvs tion. Nuroherf of horses and some cattle are being shot aftor having be-hnnd-fed for mbnths. Lambing ewes' ir' fair condilion are dying for want of pro; per - nourishment. There must now bu heavyh mortality from starvation. Thp lambing will be one of the worst known