PASTORAL PROSPECTS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2414, 1 October 1886, Page 2

PASTORAL PROSPECTS.

. .» The Melbourne Weekly Times says, in reference to the outlook for those engaged • in pastoral pursuits:—There is, we are happy to learn from numerous sources of information, a proapocfc of the wool trade : ucreasing thc : prosperity of the colonics in jio inconsiderable dogroe. 'W4 question of supplying wool in C'jS and Japan has not advanced very Tar in a practical sense, although it is recognised ■that when prejudice is oveicoiiie there will lie abundant possibilities in this direction; but there is hope that the United States Government will yet see its way clear to sanction tho reduction of duties on Australasian wools, the fine quality of which renders them dcttde to the Manufacturers of the Hepfic. Information on this subject is awaited with inturest by dock masters, who foresee that, if tho innrkuts of America aro open to them, they will be enabled to secure a higher profit and a more certain demand. But it is not to America and tho Orient alone woolg'rowers have to look for a demand for their clips. Alarmists recently predicted that tho point"*'' of over production of wool has been reached. Falling prices in some measure justified the conclusion, and the greatest anxiety was expressed lest Buenos Ayrea might not, by the production of large quantities of the ■ staple, reduce prices to an injurious extent. Some figunAiven by Mr Turner,. chairman of tlnlpiiion Mortgage and Agency Company of Australia, however, will give wool-growers x and farmers "heart of grace." Mr - Turner points out that the population of tho six principal''states of EuropeBritain, France, Germany, Austria, Russia and Italy-has during the ten years 1873 to 1883 increased nearly 22,000,000, but during the same period there has been a decrease of no less, tiim 50,000,000 sheep. There are 22,0$$K) more people to be fed and clothed and 60,000,000 less sheep within their own borders to feed and clothe them with, An opinion is growing that land can be moro profitably employed in other industries than sheep raising. The Australian increase of sheep has been, large, but with that of the Argentijfefßepublic, which is looked upon as oneof the great wool-producing countries of the futuro, it does not total the ovine decrease in European countries, so that the balance of moans of production still lies wit,h ■■•"■ these two countries. There are markets opening for wool in many directions, aud as prejudices are overcome, fresh markets will be found. Altogether, then th|£utlook of tho pasturalist is a hopeJW,nd stimulating one. .