The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, NOV. 1, 1907.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2226, 1 November 1907, Page 2

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, NOV. 1, 1907.

BREAK-UP OF THE DROUGHT.

Possibly the most welcome news in tiiis morning’s issue is that announced by cable that rain is falling in Victoria and South Australia. For fully a month past the situation had become so bad in the principal parts of the Commonwealth that our neighbors bad already become resigned to t-lie fearful possibilities of a" general drought. Writing a fortnight ago the P-ast ora lists’ Review summarised the position in. the various States as follow: “Nearly all New South Wales is in a droughty condition, and the northern part of Victoria is also bad. So fur as tilio wheat is concerned in these parts, the position, looks hopeless. It must ho a remarkable change, indeed, that would help the crops at this stage. Relief country is hard to get, most of it having been eaten out by rnbbtts or grasshoppers. Speculators and others aro asking and getting as much as £25 per week per 1000 sliccp, or 0d per head per week. Tlho drought is widespread, tilio dairy and lucerne and maize farmers on the const are suffering, and the whent and sheep farmers in the west are also suffering; almost all aro in tho same box. A fow showers have been falling during the last few days, and isolated spots have benefited. Western and South Australia, are all right so far, hut the laitter State wants rain at once ■to ensure an average harvest/; it is on the balance this month. Queensland is had in parts, hut the raonsocinal rains and thunderstorms are soon due, and relief may he expected at any time. The south and Darling Downs have had a small relief in a fe.w showers, but their wheat harvest is again almost hopeless.” Under these oircii mat i lives the rain that has already fallen will have accomplished untold good, mud it is sincerely to he hoped that it will prove to have been general over the Commonwealth, and of auffioienh duration to give the thirsty soil a thorough soaking. Of course it must be borne in mind that all the rains that could possibly fall cannot ■restore to life the vast numbers of i ewes and lambs that have been tic- ! stroyed to date, nor improve the ! clip that is now being shorn, but it j will probably make all the difference | between hundreds' of farmers being ; forced through the Bankruptcy j Court and their receiving another j cliance to recoup their losses. A consoling feature of the climatic vagaries of Australia is that when rain does follow a drought growth of fodder is so instantaneous and prolific that the country makes a rapid and wonderful recovery.