LOSS OF SHEEP IN AUSTRALIA.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12856, 8 November 1912, Page 3

LOSS OF SHEEP IN AUSTRALIA.

AFTERMATH OF THE DROUGHT.

The losses of sheep an Australia, through the recent drought are much, more serious than is generally considered. The " Pastoralists' Review" says, that Australia this year !has passed through a terrible ordeal, and few,, except the men on the land, know how terrible. On© man, who perhaps has more widely spread interests an New South Wales stock than anyone eflse,., informs us that he puts the loss of grown sheep down at 25 per cent., or over ten millions dm that one1 State,, with the additional loss of over 40 per cent, of the lambs. • His own losseshave exceeded these percentages. Another pastoralist from the north-west tells us that round him the losses are over 30 per cent. Most of these sheepdied after the rain came. Travellersreport that in the Southern Riverina districts they never saw so many sheepskins hanging on the fences, oven during the long drought. The drought tluiis time was short, but unusually severe; had it lasted.another month, theposition would have been serious indeed.. The losses in South Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia were also very heavy, and'it will not surprise us to* see a shortage of at least 300,000 bales of wool in this season's clip. The condition that sheep are in where they have been subjected to drought conditions has been noted by New Zealand— ers who have toured parts of Australia recently. A shortage of anything like--300,000 in the Australian wool clip, at si time when there is such -a keen demand for wool, must have an important bearing upon the colonial sales this, season.