PASTORAL OUTLOOK

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 155, 8 March 1939, Page 4

PASTORAL OUTLOOK

; % A : . • ■ " • . . r %AINS IN AUSTRALIA POSITION ' MORE f. HOPEFUL '.STRAIN OF PAST YEAR Wt 1 \\ • The report from Australia early last wcjek of good,, inland rains and a siihuultaneous strengthening of pastoral ..shares on the Stock -’Ekchanges . af ~pf a rapidly improving olitfoojj" in tlie ‘ Commonwealth’s vast agricultural areas. According to Mr. M: KCNiall, chairman of GoldsbroughAfort and Company, Limited, the largfe Australian pastoral contern, whpff; disfcussing the position in Mehboilfiie .recently, with moderately warm weather and further soaking rains the paitoi'ai season should be satisfactory. The " reports published last week of 'good inland fallja and of sudden floods, /in areas, .indicate that his hope has been fulfilled. v: . \ ; Of' all the.' States, South Australia fiatl experienced" the:, best pastoral -year. More than I,OOOfOOO sheep had ■been purchased from the droughtaffected areas, in western New South borders. i j Mr. Niail believed that if good rains ’fell, the quality of-this season’s wool '? - it f\

• • , *■ • v ;’ . . x'Or el ip isfhould he • better, than,‘ as it; would not, be-sQ- dusty., ' Offsetting that, however' Hv-as'the likelihood of a reduced? quantity eof wool shorn, because of no lambing in New . South AValey' aiid little iii Queensland. With 1914, Mr. Niall describes last year as the worst in the pastoral history of the Commonwealth. The drought, low prices and reduced wool-.clip had resulted-in a considerable strain ; Upon paisjtoralists’ resourc.es. . .Much private Capital, formerly available for loans- gainst land, had been withdrawn, and .’wduld probably accentuate shortage ,of for primary industry. The moff^agp',bank department of -the Co mm Bank, however, should help ’tcCf' relieve this position and should nssist rural industries generally, lie pqfufed out.