SHEEP-BREEDING

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17946, 25 November 1932, Page 5

SHEEP-BREEDING

CENTRAL AUSTRALIAN METHODS

OLD CONDITIONS DO NOT APPLY

YASS (N.S.W.), Nov. 16.

Mr. W. T. Merrirtian, a well-known stud sheep-breeder of Merryville, Yass, has received a letter from a sheepbreeder in Central Australia giving interesting information concerning the carrying on of Australia’s greatest industry iu the very interior of the continent.

Writing from Alice -Springs, Mr. Mcrriman’s client states, among other things . . My wool is no;v mainly of 64’.s quality, and .1. would like to fine it a little, in order to increase the price per pound, and so reduce, to some extent, the cost of freight. . . • The season here is satisfactory. In about 10 days I shall have dog netting around an area of 50 square miles, so that the sheep can ‘dwell safe in the wilderness.’ The netting will obviate the fearlul methods of shepherding. It is the first verminproof area iu Central and North Australia, and while, to some extent. 1 am sailing on aii uncharted ocean. 1 have convictions that if sheep get fair treatment. here they will grow wool equal to anything in the Commonwealth. “I mention this to you so that you will not think, as the South Australian stud breeders thought, that this area is unsuitable for sheep and that it would he a mistake, in any circumstances, to send a good sheep to it. In many cases with sheep shepherding bv the blacks there was doubtless some reason for their so thinking. I wish to make it clear to you that the bad old conditions do not apply hero.”