GENERAL NOTES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2681, 29 January 1916, Page 8

GENERAL NOTES

' The shortage of trucking facilities m connection with fat stock in this district is stated to be most and Worse than ever before, savs tho "Eke-, tahuna Express." On Wednesday some sheep were sent away in a cattle truck. So serious has tho position become that sheep, for Waingawa. aro now being transported by road. The Sydney "Stock Journal" reports that Mr. Sidney Kidman, the great cattlo owner, has lost 60,000 head of cattle during tho last 10 months through drought. Tho losses of cattle_ in districts. 300 miles north of Adelaide have been very heavy. On Innamincka and adjoining stations 23,000 to 24,000 head wero lost. About Oodnadntta only 2 inches of rain has fallen for, tho year. In' Queensland, on the Cooper, tho Diamantina. tho Paroo, and the Georgina, it .is the worst season ever known. Out of 25,000 head of cattle on Diaman-, tina Lakes, Mr. Kidman only mustered 1900. In Western Queensland many stations have lost 75 per cent, of their cattle, and losses of sheep have been over 25; per cent. Tho endeavour to keep stock elivo by travelling to feed lias proved more costly than they are worth. Three mobs were started from Diamantina Lakes to Tliargomindah for grass.-- .The first'thousand got to the Thomson, where country was rented at £170! per month. About 70 head survived out of this lot. The second mob cost £3 per head, and 300 got home. The_ fato of tbe third lot was somewhat similar. These losses, . Mr. Kidman points out, must affect the prices of meat, which ■ must, remain very dear; The railways in Queensland have saved a lot of sheep by bringing them to New South Wales, but the cattle country is too far out. This season in Hiverinai, N.S.W., tho Rutherglen fly pest has become probably the greatest insect pest that has ever afflicted the country. During the past fpw weeks, according to.the mails just to hand, it has swarmed all oyer the country, and! is attacking all kinds of garden and orchard crop, including tomatoes, and hard and unripe fniit. . ,

Something: in Ihe nature of a rword "burn"; for I'over'.v ' ; 'ay has jn«t b.-en completed on Mr. W. D. Lysnar's Arowhana station, where an area of some 4000 acres has been burned off with great success.