THE DROUGHT IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1054, 30 June 1882, Page 3

THE DROUGHT IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

The season in this part of the north-west still continues most unpromising. Rain has threatened on various occasi ns—the latest on Friday—but the heavy black clouds have, time after time, passed off without any seasonable rein f to the terribly stricken district. From this to Cannonbar (120 miles) there is not a mouthful of grass. From here to the Bogan, and along that river for 60 or 70 miles the same state of thing exist. On the Castlereagh road, as far as Gilgandra, no grass, and only very little water There is little or no stock on any runs. The deaths have l*een beyond calculation, and tho«e who have been lucky to get the remnants of their flocks and herds away to the grassed lands are to be congratulated. Few, however, it is to be feared, took time by the forelock ; if they had, they might have been able to save many thousand sheep and cattle, whnss bones are bleaching in paddocks, now without a vestige of pasture, but which in ordinary seasons were like meadows. On the Lower Macquarie, Omarra, and Castlereagh they are all right, plenty of grass and water; and on the Martha uy Creek they have also feed for the winter. To give some idea of the terrible character of the times we are massing through, one or two fin s will suffice. Ou the B gm, out of 7000 lambing ewes, the increase saved was one lamb. On stations on the Macquarie, which are now renowned for their fattening pastu'es, there is not a hit of meat to be obtained. Cattle for killing purposes have to he purchased cither in Dubho or from the drivers of travelling mobs. The farmer as well as the squatter is suffering. Nearly all those who combine grazing with tilling the soil are large losers. Ami to add to their tronbhs, many of them are, owing to the hardness and dryness of the groutm, unable to plough. If there is not a change before long it will be impo sb eto sow any grain. Several have made atte upts since the showers on the 27th April to plough, but few have been succe sful. There is. th refore, on every side desolation staring us in the face—a had winter and a drought such as no one in these parts has ever experienced. Since 1874 we have had only two average seasons. The remainder have been fair to bad. The present, however, is the consummation, and what makes it so much felt is the knowledge that squatters will not this year lie able to gaiu the crumb of comfort which is included in a wool clip, or the (armor have a cron. Last year we had a fair clip of woo', and some wheat and hay. If there be not a great change before long there is no chance of the latter, and no ma'ter whether rain comes or not there will be very little of the former. Instead of 1,400,000 sheep being shorn in the sheep district of Dubho. there will probably be 200.010. This means, of course, a large, loss to individual owners, a falling off in 'he demand for labour, and loss to the State. The wool of 1,200,000 sheep is worth from £OO,OOO to £IOO,OOO. and that is something to lose. —Sydney Morning Herald.