PASTORAL PROSPECTS IN AUSTRALIA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8443, 16 May 1907, Page 5

PASTORAL PROSPECTS IN AUSTRALIA.

A NEW ZEALANDER'S OBSERVATIONS. Mr W. C. Buchanan, of Tupurupuru, Wairarapa, returned by the Moeraki, yesterday morning, from a brief visit to Australia. A member of the Post staff called on Mr Buchanan, and had a talk with him concerning pastoral matters in the Commonwealth. Mr Buchanan replied that his impressions could only be hastily made records, as he was only for a very short time in Australia. During that time, however, he visited Melbourne as well as Sydney. ' What is the thing that most interested pastoralists' during your visit? Mr Buchanan was asked, "The weather," was his reply. A little uneasiness seemed to prevail owing to the continued dry weather experienced throughout the country. Duri ing the run from Sydney to Melbourne the visitor noticed that the country all along the route was very dry, and this accounted for the anxiety of farmers and others interested in the land. The price of cattle had gone up in consequence, and, so far as he could gather, a scarcity of fat stock was anticipated. "I passed through the neighbourhood of AlDury, which contains some of the best cattle country in Victoria, and I learned that farmers had not for a long time had such very dry weather as was then being experienced." He. added that sheep were now suffering from the dry weather over a wide range of country. ) As to prices Australian growers, were doing better than Wellington graziers. Cattle were a good deal higher priced in Victoria and New South Wales than in Wellington, but this was on the basis of local consumption. and not on export demand, as the meat export industry was at a standstill just now, as the season had closed. He came across stock operators doing nothing. In general business circles a good spirit was prevalent everywhere and business was buoyant. ( The talk turned upon political matters, and Mr Buchanan was questioned concerning the secession feeling in Australia. He did not think the New South Wales threats to secede meant anything; serious—it was nothing more than "a playing up to the gallery'' prior to a general election. In Melbourne no notice was taken of the agitation. There seemed to be a strong feeling,, particularly in Syd- t ney, against the utterances in London of the Federal Prime Minister (Mr Deakin). arid Sir William Lyne regarding preference. Sydney people declared that those statesmen had no mandate whatever from Australia to go to the lengths they had gone in regard to urging preference. "But," ,concluded;Mr Buchanan, "it'musfrbe remembered that both statesmen are strong protectionists."