THE PELORUS GUARDIAN, AND MINERS' ADVOCATE. FRIDAY, 5TH DECEMBER, 1902. The Australian Drought.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 16, Issue 94, 5 December 1902, Page 4

THE PELORUS GUARDIAN, AND MINERS' ADVOCATE. FRIDAY, STH DECEMBER, 1902. The Australian Drought.

The agricultural anti pastoral outlook in Australia has reached such a pass that a Drought Conference has been set up to formulate a scheme for the alleviation of the prevailing distress. A few weeks ago Sir John See was quite optimistic, and contended that large areas of the State were untouched by drought and would be able to assist the portions which had suffered. In short, he saw no need for any action by the Government. Mr Kidd, the Minister for Agriculture, was satisfied that the Australian supply of wheat would be sufficient for requirements. And with regard to fodder, the Minister declared that “our harvest in the State comes in within the next two months, and as enormous quantities will be av.i liable, the price will be kept down. We shall doubtless obtain supplies from the other States, but there will be very little importation from abroad. However, large areas in various parts of the State have got relief from the rains within the past two months, and as far as these districts are concerned it is not likely the drought will occur again for some years to come. Under these circumstances, it is not necessary for the Government at the present time to take any action.” ■ Time went on and still the outcry of farmers in the affected districts continued to grow more urgent. Last week Mr Carruthers made a statement of information which he had gathered as to the condition of the producing industries in New South Wales. He pointed out that the drought had extended over a summer, an autumn, a winter, and a spring, and bid fair to run through a summer into next autumn. Referring to the losses in stock, he declared that at the close of the summer there will not be 20,000,000 sheep left, a third of the number of a few years back. The value of the sheep that are left, allowing for the good prices ruling, represents a loss of £10,000,000. As to agriculture, the rain in October and November of last year reduced the harvest by about 4,500,000 bushels, equal in round numbers to £750,000. This year the general harvest will be taken from an area of about a million acres less than the previous year, while from the fruitful area the produce will be about one-third less than in ordinary seasons. In wheat eight million bushels are-re-quired for home consumption and two millions for seed, while only three and a half will be available. That gives a shortage of six millions. The estimated yield of other States is twelve million bushels, and their requirements twenty millions. Milling wheat has risen withm the last two years from 2s 7d to 5s 7d per bushel, maize from 3s to 5s 9d, oats from 2s Id to 8s 9d, chaff from £3 6s to £7 6s a ton. The wonderful rise in the price of flour and beef and mutton is, of course, familiar to our readers, Mr Carruthers pointed out that the cities were being drawn into the affected area, They were going to undergo the same hardships that the farmers had gone through, and some ' measure of relief was necessary. On the strength of this statement the Premier arranged the conference, and is entering heartily into the work, The relief asked for is partly a concession in the way of rents to holders of State farms, Government purchase of seed corn to be retailed to farmers at uost price, and, lastly, some easing of the fodder duties.