CONDITIONS IN AUSTRALIA

Hokitika Guardian, 25 September 1929, Page 5

CONDITIONS IN AUSTRALIA

MR J. RENN)E|S ,IMPRESSIONS. AUCKLAND, Sept. 23. ‘ ‘‘.Prospects for the coming season’s wheat production in Australia are not good, and even though Australians are bv nature optimists.* they cannot be optimistic concerning the wool clip.” These are views v *of Mr J. Rennie, the Christeluu'ch-A flour and cereal manufacturer, who returned from a trip to Australia by the Aorangl. “In most parts of Australia, there has -been only a very slight rainfall this winter,” Mr Rennie said. ‘The prospects for the coming season’s yield arc not' good-, r although it is hoped that there will be some wheat available for export. A full crop is expected in Western Australia, which is held to he one of the soundest States in the Commonwealth, but New South Wales has been very badly affected by the drought. Australia's wool production would not be quite so heavy this season, Mr 'Rennie continued, and although statement had been made that prices had reached rock-bottom last season, Australians were not viewing the coming sales in any erreat spirit of enthusiasm Conditions all round in New Zealand were much healthier than they were in Australia However, a notable feature was the surprising building activity in the Australian cities, more particularly in Sydney. From the number of buildings that are going up no one would think there was any trade depression in Australia. MEAT TRADE PROSPECTS. AUCKLAND. So.pt. 23. Tt has been estimated that the recent drop in wool prices will mean a heavy loss to Australia, according to Mr R. W. Roclie. of Auckland, who returned from Sydney by the Aorangi after spending five months in the Commonwealth. There was not a very bright outlook ahead of Australian pastoralists, he said, but on the other hand there were indications of a good season in the meat trade. “The United States are now importing much more frozen meat and Australia is taking stops to develop this market.’’ Mr Roche said. “Increasin'' population has meant that land which was used a few years ago for raising stock must now carry cereals, and a,s a result the mini her of cattle in the United States lias decreased by 7,000.000 head. Foot-and-mouth disons"..constitutes a serious bar to the export of meat from the Argentine. The better prospects for export have resulted in an increase in the price for beef cattle in Australia. Mr Cramsre, chairman of the Metropolitan Meat Industry Board, holds that there is a great future for the Polled Angus and Red Poll breeds and regards the latter ns a dual purpose cow He recently purchased a number of young Polled Angus bulls and heifers from the best herds in Canada and those are to he used to improve the breed in New South Wales:” The Now South Wales Government was doing much to encourage farmers to breed pedigree stock. Mr Roche said. “There was a. very keen demand for stock from the various colleges and tlie Government was not looking for large profits, but supplying high-grade animals at low prices. The price was generally based at Is a pound of but-ter-fat from the dam, a bull calf from

a cow yielding 600 lbs of butter-fat being valued at £3O. Heifers were sold at correspondingly low prices. “For such stock prices are much lower than those ruling in New Zealand Mr Roche said. ‘The Government is purposely 'keeping them low. If the stock were sold at public auction it would bring double the price. One heifer was sold at the Royal Show recently for £149 10s.” Herd-testing was becoming more poplar in Australia and dairy-farmers were beginning to realise its value. ..Mr Roche continued. However, there was not nearly enough tqp-dressing. Lack of top-dressing and use of fertilisers was holding back Australian farming to a considerable extent, and in this respect Australians could learn a very voluable lesson from New Zealand.