The Argentine Republic.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 6927, 9 October 1889, Page 2

The Argentine Republic.

The travelling correspondent of the Melbourne Age, after spending some time in visiting various parts of the Argentine Republic, writes: — It is worthj of remark that while the number of sheep in the Argentine Republic is estimated at 75,000,000, or about the Bame number as in Australia and New Zealand, the value of the clip of wool, including sheepskins, which are always sent Home as sheepskins and never operated upon by the fellmonger, does not exceed £5,500,000 sterling, which is not much more than half the value of the wool exported from New South Wales alone. No estancias in the River Plate wash, much less scour, their wool ; all is shipped in the greaso, and vory greasy and very dirty it usually is. It does not seom easy to understand why the estancieros should prefer to pay freight on dirt, but they do, although the country they occupy is far better watered than Australia. Indeed, the province of Buenos Ayres is in my opinion far too wet as a general rnle for sheep, and the mortality from disease is far greater than is usual in any portion of Australia, except during seasons of great drought. Foot rot is very prevalent, fluke abounds on all the flooded lands, and a large proportion of the sheep are scabby. It is possible thatsomeday or another the Argentine Republic may grow fine wool and become a competitor with Australia in the markets of the world. But that time is far distant, and never will arise until the landowners set themselves seriously to work to imorove their breed of sheep and cattle. At present a few amongst them are doing good work, but tho majority are utterly indifferent, and take no interest whatever in their sheep and cattle. They borrow money on their land, and live in great style and luxury on the proceeds at Buenos Ayres, or, better still, at Paris, and they demand rents from tenants which are far higher than tho profits realisable from farms will ever pay. The nominal value of land has beon forced up to such a price through the facility of borrowing money upon it that no person can now buy land at rateß which would pay a decent interest on his outlay, nor could he rent land at prices which would enable him to make money by either running stock upon it or cultivating the soil. A crash must come sooner or later, and land must fall to its real value. At present tho Argentine Ropublic may give a labourer better wages than he would receive in Italy or Spain, but it has little or no attractions for an Englishspeaking person of any rank, means, or occupation, unless he be a capitalist with a strong turn for speculation, and a good deal of experience at the game.