THE DROUGHT IN AUSTRALIA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1822, 29 November 1888, Page 4

THE DROUGHT IN AUSTRALIA.

Sydney, November 26. Tiierc has beeu a very groat advance in prices/ for feed "iituflF-, »nd should the drought continue it is hard to know where to secur• supplies, unless New Z-a-"Me'o come to the re>cue. "Ihe maize fi«W 5n New South Wi-l*. however, is coo ' T'hr ."oug»>t is begiuume; to b« ■ felt ib : fte dairy producing districts, « her.. il.eV.eat trouble is the shortness of watm father than of ««*. S'nce the l.i of. November iho pr.ic.of factory but «-r li»b risen one hi.n.iire.l P*' cent, bummer fruits are falling off the tree? by the. bushel, and jam companies will be seriously affected. At the last ttock auctione ; prices real»ed,for c-nth showeJ a decline of fifty per cent. Sheep am selling at prices down to 2s. Large purchases which'are being mad* on buhnlf of the varioun meut preserving companies keep, the prices better than they would other-' 'wise be. 'iJepon'B of the failure of crops coniinue'to be received from many district?. Etgi»nd district the harvest has never been so bud fer the hat forty years: Atjßathurst there is no agricultura produce, and a henvy f»li of rain is the only hope of saving the stock. 4 movement is on foot at Bourke to petition Government asking for « rebate in rentals Otherwise the holdings will be abandoned. At Braidwood the potato crop lias failed, while at Brenwarrnie, Cobar, and Cooma the outlook is" gloomy and j aenous results are feared. At Bnrrowa the pastoral returns are fair, but the agricultural prospeciß altogether are bad. j Coonataraban has suffeied a bad himbiDg season but in other respects stock is doing fairl) well.'' The wln-a' yield is expected to be good, The losseH at Cponarnbra are heavy and the outlook is bhek and depressing. At Uootamundra stock losses have been slight. The country generally' looks fairy well exsept in enses where land had been overstocked. The wheat' crop, however, is beyond recovery. The Cowia district lias' suffered only sligl/t losses in stock, but agriculture is ruined. Crook well so far has not had a serious loss. The crops are poor at Deniliquin, the outlook is dreary, and prices for produce are rapidly advancing. The wheat crop in Glenennie is expected to yield only three or four bushtds to the acre. The Goulbourn district has suffered Tery mil' h from bush fites, and eooimous loss is reported. The wheat crop has been a complete failure, but stock is doi"tf fairly wdl. At Grafton it is expected that the yield of maize *ill double that of any previous year. The prospects of the cropa are also veiy good, and the agricultural und pusloral out ook is excellent. At Green fell a water larnine is iruioinent, and it is feared th-t the flour nulls will be for the next twelve months. At Uundagai the wheat yield is frOTi five to fifteen buehela per acre. Other produce is a failurt. At H'l'ston there will be no harvest this year, and the (ffect on trade " is disastrous. Many, atlnverell have been ruined iii consequence of the cropa failing. 'AVKempeey the season is the be9t experienced for many yearr. Stock and crops are leoking spleudid. At Kiama the drought is making itself felt, and dairy produce is failing, At Wagga W»gga ihe crops' are only six inches high, and not worth cutting for hay. At Walgett water is ecatce, but there is a fair growth of gras3, and the lossee in stock have been slight. It is not expeeted that rain .will fall before . February. In the Wellington district the wheat crops look fairly well ; prices for produce are ; ri^ing, s and ruin staiiug equatters ig prospects ai West Mr, but in. the.. ii'Jßfilp.apnia district are in a terrible, slate. Onei station alone lost 63,000 lambs. Some have practically been abandoned as woo] cannot reach the market owing to the'travelling ( At Yass tliV, potato and huy crops have been, a' failure. The drought is causing sad bavoc among the Bheep iu the coutry,districts, A drover eugaged in driving a mob of I§,ooo sheep from Wilcannia to Hay lost 12,000 enroute. ~....,,,. . ( ...,.., Bbisbane, November 26. 7 At Croydon heavy raia has fallen,, and the outlook is now more hopeful. Meat,' bread and potatoes are very highland ..fodder is at famina prices. Maize is Wiling at 7s I', chaff 14s per cwt, Adelaide, November 26. The drought is not altogether responsible for the condition of the crops in the northern districts. Grasshoppers have been the main cansf. lo many districts the returns will be high, 4ft.tr supplying local wants the estimate will nearly be five million bushels available for export. From over half the wheat area there will be little or no return received. The drought has been most disastrous to fqnntters in tbi outside '.country. ' Hoi art, November 26.

Thftjdronght has brokfriyp and the crops have been saved. Supplies of hay - and chaff ate still short.