QUEENSLAND.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14836, 29 November 1913, Page 15

QUEENSLAND.

A LAND OF PROMISE.

Mr James Allan, M.L.A.T, of Queensland, who is on a (short visit to Christchurch, spoke interestingly to a "Press" reporter yesterday regarding the progress and prospects of that great State of the Australian Commonwealth. .Mr Allan is a member of a large business firm in Brisbane, and he has "also interests in pastoral holdings. His experience of Queensland extends over thirty-four years. The State has had over ten years of continuous good seasons, with high prices for the products of the soil. New meat works-have been built and others extended. Some £250,000 is now being spent on one in course of erection in Brisbane, owned by a well-known American company, who know" what they are doing. All the leading stock and station agents nave expended large sums on new wool stores, and regular wool sales are now firmly established; Ships of the largest tonnage berth at the wharves in everincreasing numbers, railways are opening up the country, and this, with the abundant supply of artesian water has made investment more secure than fn the early days. . The big station leaseholds are being resumed and leased in smaller blocks as fast as passible, but the demand, especially for sheep country, is far in excess of the supply. This demand will be satisfied more fully within the next year or two, when some large leases expire. Sheop and cattle properties can bo bought from present holders, but owing to the run of good seasons prices are high. A mild boom is on, and prices would fall considerably if the drought conditions returned. Banks and other financial* institutions advise caution. Those who are fortunate in securing a good blorti direct from the Govornment, under homestead residential conditions for five years, will make at the end of that time, if present conditions continue, a clear profit of from fifty to a hundred pet cent, on their actual expenditure for improvements and stock.-besides making a. very jrood income, whi?n will averatrc at least th?rtv per cent, on tlje amount invested. Of course, there are risks, and the conditions of New Zealand and Queensland are quite different. "On the whole, and taking evrrytbine into account." saJd Mr ATlan, "Queensland offers big inducements to the yonng man with some practical experience, and a small capital, who is prepared to put in a few years of hard pioneering."