Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Saturday 2 August 1884, page 201


Stock Movements and State or the Country.

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.]

BARKLY TABLELAND, July 20.

Weather cold and dry; all kinds of stock are in good condition; several stations, now that the road to Adelaide is open, will be starting fat cattle south. Improvements are being car-

ried on fast, considering the limited supply of contractors and labour. Mr. Webster, of Heddlngloy. struck a good supply of fresh water at 35ft, »nd neighbouring stations are now sinking for water, as the Georgina RiTer did not run right through last autumn, this being the worst summer known here for nine ?•*!*• *? r# »»""■>«»•'■ plucky venture of J^jSl* A&f ?# of mixed c^tle from *»• head of Pitcheri Creek to Barrow's Creek, on the o?erland telegraph line, U watched with interest here; should he be successful it will open a new route for stock through unknown country, and will benefit holders of country betweenthe overland telegraph and Western Three hundred fat bullocks from Rooklands for Adelaide, Gladstone in oharge, passed Lake Nash early in June; 120 mixed cattle now travelling down the Playford River in Northern Territory to stock Messrs. M'Donald, Smith, and Macansh's country, Readford in charge; 8200 ewes (Richardson and Co.) arrived at Austral Downs, H.P Heap in charge. Good rains on the Playford river. One lake and several large holes filled on Brunette Downs. THARGOMINDAH, July 20. We still require a great deal of rain. Very little grass is obtainable, but saitbush and cotton-bush are growing fairly. There is not sufficient water to enable fencing to be carried 2? *i"2 y largo extent, nor are all the tanks on the stations full. Some of them have searcoly any water in them. Onr present condition is not altogether bad; but if no more rain falls before the rammer sets in tho resources of tome of the stations will be severely tried. So fa* they have stood the test well, and if we be favoured with a few inches of rain before October stock will be able to hold out until our usual summer rain sets in. None of the stations have suffered losses which will, seriously embarrass thoir owners, and the outlook, though not as bright as it might be, is not devoid of the elements of well-founded hope. BLAOKALL, July 18. I am very glad to say that since my last I am enabled to report that we have at last had a good fall of rain in this dried-up and sadlyneglected part of Queensland. The rain was 7«ry ffaneral and a large extent of the West bMMted by it; T»mbo\ Isisford, Aramac, Btokall, as weU as several stations, all having had rain at the same time in more or less quantities. After being most unseasonably warm for nearly a fortnight, prognostications of heavy rain shortly have been amply fulfilled. At 9 o'clock last Saturday morning the win commenced, and continued to fall steadily all day, with a little more on Sunday and Monday nights, the total being lDßin. Tambo was favoured with 2'l2in.; Isisford, ■ ?'!■ »DowM reported 2in.; and heavy rain fell at Malvern Hills andTerrick stations. I hear that Sin. of rain fell on the Blackall •n^" it??rd^ol^' between Avlngton station and Douglas Ponds. The grass is already beglnningt© spring, but the weather having turned exceedingly cold again, with a freezing southvast wind and frosty night*, a good crop of grass cannot be expected until it has become warmer. At the time of writing there are no signs of more rain, and perhaps it would not fee safe to say the drought has broken for good. ■ _, July 30, Shearing oommenoes at Terrick on the 9th August Shearing is now In full swing at WeUshot Several teams loaded with wool from Portland and Albillah have passed through here for Pine HilL t . The weather is fine, with ©old nights. , OUNNAMULLA, July 30. £here is no change to report in the weather, which is fine and bright. The days are warm and the nights cold, without frost The rains reotntty reported near Charleville have raised the river here by 2ft Reports from the west as far as Cooper's Creek are the same as about MM. The drought is general, though varied by moderate rains, affecting circumscribed localities only. - ■% «.. - . TAROOM, July IS. In this part of the world we are experiencing an extraordinarily mild season. Here we are in the middle of July, and up to the present have had barely a twinge of frost, an unheardof thing for the past twenty years. All summer crops, such as potatoes, pumpkins, &c, are still growing on without the slightest check, and the country surrounding Taroom (eioept where perished by travelling stock) bears quite a verdant and spring-like appearance; Vttd, as a further sign of the mildness of the season, the milking cows in the town are with few exceptions fit for the butcher. There is no doubt, however, as soon as the present cloudy weather passes away and a clear sky takes its place we shall have a month or so of hard frosty weather, but we anticipate an early and good spring. Travelling sheep appear to be as numerous as ' ever. I hear of them coming from all points of the compass. I suppose such things are likely to continue now till the spring. The stock movements since my last have been:—lo.ooo of tho Jimbour sheep, Mr. Wilmott in charge, foraging for grass, have gone Burnettwards to give that district a trial; also, about the name time, a lot of 3000, owned by Messrs. Stirling, from the neighbourhood of Toowoomba, Mr. Mearns in charge. Those two lots passed about the 2nd and 3rd instant and a few days after a lot of 600 store bullocks, Messrs. Gilchrist, Watt, and Co., owners, in Terylow condition. These cattle came from Am by Downs, and are going to Boondooma, in the Burnett district On the 19th instant there passed within a few miles of here a mob of nearly 2000 rams, Mr. P. S. Hedson, owner, in charge. This lot of rams is reported to be the finest lot that ever passed through this district, being all purebred rams from the chief breeders of Victoria and New South Wales. Mr. Hodson informs me that he started from New South Wales over nine months ago and has had the greatest difficulties to contend with, having in some places h&d to cut down scrub for miles for his sheep to subsist on. He states that the country has been so bad that he has had to 'pans through, that he bas had to feed his horses for the last six months on maize and oats, paying as high as 225. 6<l. a buBbcl.for corn in some places. Mr. Hodson v no doubt one of the right but rare sort of gentlemen to have a valnable property in his care. His destination is the Aramac, at

which place the sheep are to be distributed to the various purchasers to whom they have been already sold. The other lots of sheep to report are 11,000 young sheep, Mr. Raven owner, Mr. Cruikshank in charge, travelling for grass, camped across tho river; also, 11,000 ewes, same owner, Mr. Scott in charge, endeavouring to rent country in the neighbourhood to lamb on, as they commence to lamb in a fortnight We had a very heavy shower of rain this evening. The country around is bearing the appearance of spring. July 30. There were slight showers here on Saturday, and heavier rain on Sunday. The weather is now mild and cloudy. ARAMAC, July 30. Erroneous reports have been circulated that the drought has broken up. Certainly partial relief has been experienced in a few localities, but the general condition of things out West is unchanged by the late rains. Good rain has fallen on the road from Pine Hill to Aramac, giving plenty of grass and water. The weather is sultry in the daytime and cold at night and there are no indications of rain. TAMBO, July 3a The weather is fine and the nights are frosty. Grass is scarce. ROMA, July 30. There was a fine rainfall hero on Saturday and Sunday. The weather is now fine and cool, and the country is looking excellent. *n. .v , - SURAT. July 30. The weather is fine but cold. We have had heavy rain, and the roads are in a fearful con* dition. BT. GEORGE, July 28. Over an inch of rain fell here on Saturday. Tho mail from Brisbane bas not yet arrived. . STANTHORPE, July 30. During tho past week the weather has been very changeable. There have been sharp frosts with warm days and cold nights. Today the weather is cold, the sky is overcast with leaden clouds, aud a drizzling rain is falling. a , mj, ,*- „ L DALBY, July 28. Splendid rain fell hero yesterday, tho quantity registered being 135 in. The creek is full, and the water is running across the overshot dam. There is no* a sufficient supply of water for tho next twelve months. The weather today is fine and cold. t* . a v WARWICK, July 30. It rained here on Saturday night, and is raining again tp-d%y. The crops and country continue to look well. TOOWOOMBA, July 3a It has scarcely ceased raining since last night, and quite enough rain has now fallen for the crops, which are looking splendid though rather strong. It i» feared that some of the barley crops which have been laid by the rain will not rise again. Later. Frequent showers have fallen throughout the day, and the rain appears likely to continue. The weather this morning was fine" though cloudy, but soon changed to constant drizzling rain. DARLING DOWNS. July 30. • No stock, movements to report Since I last wrote we have had fine rains on the Downs, and but few frosts. The country is looking wonderfully well; in some places the growth of herbs is somewhat astonishing. The sheep, too, are looking weU; so much so that should the remaining part of the winter prove severe they are strong enough to pull through. In Toowoomba we have had too much rain to please the farmers ; they say the crops are too rank. I hear that rust has already made its appearance in the green barley j if such be the case it is a poor lookout for the wheat It is raining while I write, with every appearance of its continuing. UPPER BRISBANE, July 28. It is a busy time on the farms. The maize « being gathered and the potatoes are being Planted. The weatherispleasant-remarkably mild for midwinter. There has been little frost this season. Cattle are rather poor. t mn9 _ BEBNLEIGH, July 30. A Ts^ i»lnfall here for the past week amounted to O'Slin. The weather is now mild and cloudy, and vegetation is growing. NORMANTON, July 30. The weather is cold and there are no signs of rain. There have been strong south-easterly winds during the week. Stockownen in the southern portions of the district are suffering heavy losses for want of rain, and what little grass there is is being eaten by stock travelling in nearch of pasture Two hundred fat bullocks from Oanobie for Mitcholl passed Creen Creek yesterday. COOKTOWN, July 3a There have been moderate south-east winds during the week, with fine clear weather. The mornings and evenings are cold. The grass is beginning to put on a wintry appearance, but stock are still keeping their condition. From the 23rd to tho 30th instant the mean temperature has been at noon, maximum 76* and minimum 65*. INGHAM, July 30. The weather is fine, with cold nights. The thermometer was lower on Monday than at any time this year—namely, 45*. The weather is good for sugar crushing, and no doubt the expected results will bo realised. The locust destruction continues.HERBERTON, HERBERTON, July 31. The weather is still fine, and the nights cold. Grass is drying up fast, but water is plentiful _ BPRINGSURE, July 31. The weather is remarkably dry; and travelling sheep along the Tambo-road are dying fast * . BOWEN, July 31. The weather is fine, with cool nights. Tho grass is fast disappearing about the town. CLERMONT, July 30. Thero were a few points of rain last Friday, with westerly winds. The weather is now quite fine and cold. Tho district is badly off for water. ROCKHAMPTON, July 30. There has been no change to report in the weather during the past week, except that rain fell heavily on Saturday night for about an hour, and since then slight showers have fallen. The weather is cloudy at present. EMERALD, July 3a One thousand splendid bullocks passed here to-day from Millungera bound south for sale, Mr. Thumpkin* irt charge; Messrs. Sloane and Co., acerit3. A few days ago 1100 bullock) passed through for Marl borough from Mount Cornish, Mr. George Buzacott in charge.

BUNDABERG, July 31. Light showen have fallen during the week, followed by warm growing weather. MARYBOROUGH, July 2G. The weathor is still mild. With the absence of frosts the hearts of sugar growers were becoming exuberant until this grave news of the fall in sugar value came. It hi stated that Cran's refinery will not give within 20 per cent of tho price of last year. The whole week hns been fine, but today it rains and looks like bad weather to come. __ WA¥A#GO, July 27. Ox Wednesday and Thursday night* we had bard frosts, and, strange to gay. after* thunderstorm on the afternoon of Wednesday. On Friday there was evidently a change, an.4 on Saturday it was showery; and about 6 o'cl >ck steady rain set in, which lasted all night, and has continued with but little intermission during to-day. During the week 10,000 sheep from Westbrook, tho property of Messrs. Shanaban and Jennings, and travelling north, passed through, Mr. Ohiilcott in charge ; 2700 sheep, belonging to selectors on the Downs, from Musket Flat to North Branch, are on the commonage to-day, Mr. S. Holmes in charge. July 30. The rain cleared off here on Sunday* Since then two days' fine weather has been experienced. This morning, however, rain again set in, and the weather is very cold, but there is no frost; the wind is from the south-east