SEVERE DROUGHT.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 November 1919, Page 5

SEVERE DROUGHT.

SUFFERING IN NEW SOUTH WALES. , WHEAT CROP A FAILURE. PASTORALISTS ABANDON HOLDINGS. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received Nov. 7, 8 10 p.m. Sydney, Nov. 7^, The drought conditions are daily growing more serious. It is stated that three-fourths of New, South Wales is Buffering. The drought is the worst ever experienced. The wheat crop is largely a failure, being cut for fodder. Reserve stocks, which were almost used up, are selling at prohibitive prices. Pastoralis'ts are suffering tremendous losses? They are rushing stock to the market to prevent it dying, and selling at the lowest prices for years. In some districts owners are knocking lambs and calves on their heads so as to give the mothers a chance of life. In the far west, pastoralists are abandoning their holdings after removing such stock as is able to travel. Cattle, sheep and horses are dying by thousands. Sheep which are too weak to walk are shorn in the paddocks and then their throats are cut. It is predicted that unless there is rain before Christmas the drought will spell, a national calamity, and even if rain comes soon it is feared much of the stock will be too weak to recover.—Aus - N.Z. Cable Assn.'