ARGENTINE’S LARGE SHARE.

Shannon News, 2 January 1925, Page 1

ARGENTINE’S LARGE SHARE.

“Conditions on the Continent. of Europe have recently been more stable.,” said the chairman of the Gear Meat Company, Mr W. H. ‘Mil-, ward, at the annual meeting, of shareholders, “and as a consequence, several shipments of second-quality beef have been,; made to various points, and there is a prospect of a continuance. Most of the business was done with South America, and the enormous expansion of Argentine exports to meet this demand has astonished even those well acquainted with the trade, and is eloquent evidence of the resources of that country." Last season opened with the keenest competition from all sources, ana high prices were paid for sheep and continued the chdirman, After the early shipments it was found difficult to do business on c.i.L terms at remunerative rate's, and from January onwards, values fell considerably, and forward business was out of the question. Lower prices, however, resulted in increased competition, stocks became lessened, and as & result satisfactory prices later eventuated. The company’s strong financial position enabled it to hold a great part of its consignments over the unfavourable period, and thereby to obtain full advantage of -the improving situation.

A writer in the Pastoral Review dealing with the report of the South African Drought Commission, after describing the original condition of the country says:—“Man came along with his flocks and herds, overstocked the country, provided no .additional sustenance, allowed his stock to eat off the pastures, applied ,his ravaging axe to the bush, and set fire regularly to the grass in the dry seasons, so baring the earth that when the rains came in due course there was nothing ;to hold back the waters, and these simply rushed straightway down the hills and over the plains, carrying soil, ■carving out sluits and dongas, creating unprecedented floods and although the vegetation would spring up, there was insufiicent moisture in the soil to sustain life; but before it would wilt and perish starving stock had gnawed it to the roots, and even the marvellous recuperative character of the Karoo veld has been unable to stand up to such treatment and has died out. As the vegetation died so did the rivers cease to run regularly. Watering place® became scarcer, and stock had perforce to travel farther and farther afield for water, making matters worse by trampling and loosening the veld, and so it is that these parts of the country are becoming nothing but howling deserts.”