THE AUSTRALIAN OUTLOOK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2895, 8 September 1909, Page 57

THE AUSTRALIAN OUTLOOK.

A NEW ZEALANDER'S VIEWS. (Fsom Our Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, September 2. Mr George T. Booth, of the implement manufacturing firm of Booth, Mac Donald, and Co., Christchurch, returned to-day from a visit to Australia. "In New Zealand," said Mr Booth to a Press reporter, " almost everyone was looking down his nose, anticipating bad times, and was feeling the pressure of financial stringency. In the Commonwealth money appeared to be plentiful, and business was apparently good. Th?re had been a succession of good seasons. They were anticipating a bumper season this year, and generally things wera exceedingly prosperous. There must be some condition existent in New Zealand that; did not exist in the Commonwealth, but it was not very easy to put one's linger on the spot and say what that condition was. The dominant feature in New Zealand was apparently the shortage of money. Oddly enough the reverse appeared to be the case in Australia. H« had been told By one man that Australia had; a fairly abundant supply of money for public and private purposes, and that man said he did not kno.w what they wero going to do with the money that would be available when this season's wool clip was paid for. - For this' 30 millions sterling would be received." Regarding the agricultural outlook, Mr ' Booth said the Australians had more wheat in this -year Than ever, aud were looking foiward' to a very heavy harvest. - In New South Wales the Agrieulttiral Department had been active in attempting to find new varieties of wheat that could be grown profitably on more or less arid land, and these varieties had been very successful. According to the TJnder-secretary ! for Agriculture, thousands of acres had > been sown in wheat that years ago were ' considered unsuitable. | Whilst in Queensland Mr Booth met one | or two New Zealanders who had taken up land in that State, which promised to lw one of the most important States in the ( Commonwealth, as the result of ihe large area of land available for settlement. Of the total area of 420,000,000 acres, lesa than 5 per cent, had been alienated, and the Crown lands at present available were obtainable on very easy terms under all tenures. He had a talk with an erstwhila South Canterbury farmer, who had bought Queensland land" at 4s od per acre on tho edge of the Darling Downs — land which, the farmer considered to be equal in quality to land in Ash burton County valued at between £30 and £40 per acre. The most important features connected with Australia were the efforts being made to develop the productiveness of the country by the Agricultural Departments. Th« extension of the irrigation systems was in contemplation. Close settlement was beina encouraged, and improved methods of cultivation were being adopted. " I should say," concluded Mr Booth, " that the late Mr Seddon's idea in opening branches of the Tourist Department in Sydney and Melbourne is bearing good fruit." Mr Booth thought, however, that a greater number of Australians could be, induced to visit the Dominion if its attractions were more prominently brought be* fore tin Australian public.

A bill making it illegal for landlords to exclude young children from apartment houses has passed the Illinois House of Representatives. Specifically, the bill declares that leases with provisions that bar children are against public policy and void. The penalty provided is a fine of from £10 to £20, and the same penalty is extended to any landlord who refuses to rent his property for no other reason! than that the family desiring to rent it has children. a member stated that 'ast season h«t took 4cwt of pears from each oi foun trees, and, as showing the benefit of proper spraying, he found there was scarcely a pear affected by any pest. The fruit vr&& sold at 3d per lb, which means that an aore under the 6ame__crop disposed of at the same price, would fetch something over | £600. *