Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929), Tuesday 25 May 1926, page 14


THE MAN ON THE LAND,

EARLY PASTORAL HISTORY. ENORMOUS LOSSES.

' Although to the lay mind the life of the pastoralisfc in South Australia has always been on a bed o£ roses, many instances can be cited which would soon dispel that

illusion, or rather show that it they did recline upon such a metaphorical couch they were made pretty uncomfortable by the accompanying thorns. One haa only to read the evidence of the 1897 Pastoral Commission, before which the late_ Mr. A. G. Downer gave some interesting information concerning the struggles and losses of those brave pioneers. Fortunately since that time, the tide of for: tune has, in many cases, turned, and those who have followed have, as one might expect, enjoyed the silver lining to the former cloud. Boolcamhtta was taken up first by Messrs. Stanway & Frith, and after they had lost everything, it was sold to Messrs. J. Fv'.Bect & Co., who held it many years, when Mr. Beck took it over from the individual partners. He carried it-tm for a number of years, but wasindebted to a large area of country outside the run after the big rainl of ]86C to enable him to increase his sheep to more than 20,000. He sold the lun to Messrs. A. McCuUocb. & Co., who, within the nest few years, lost very, heavily,, and would have, undoubtedly' come ' to 'grief 'had it not been, that Mr. McCulIoch. -was . a rich man. Ontalpa was first taken up by Mr. Stephen King, and after holding it . .for a few years, he was completely ruined. ? It was: then thought by- Messrs. Duffield, Harrold,1 and Hurd, who carried it on for a number of years, when Duffield and Harfold sold out to Mr. Foote, the result being that Mr. Foote lost everything hehad., In addition, the bank of which he was. a customer, lost' heavily. ' : Other North-Eastern Runs. ? ' Bimbowrie was taken up first by Mr. .T. 'W. Tyler, and after having spend a lot of money on if, he sold it to Mr.: John Taylor at, £1 3/^ head. ..His- trustees carried it on 'at a Verr:,great loss, .and theyresold it to 'Mr. Tyler at 8/. 'Mr. . 'I'vler. carried it on for a year or two, and then sold it to Mr. John Crozier. Ko profit.was made in this run at all. Winnininnie was taken up by J. & A. Hallett/'and sold at a good price by their trustees,' to Messrs. Stirling, Hart, & Co., who lost, more by their purchase than the Hallett trustees made. Oulnina was 'taken up by Messrs. H. C. Spriggs & Co., and after carrying it on for a number o1 jears, Mr.' Spriggs lost everything he had nnd the run.' was sold to - the late. Mr. Walter Duncan, at 10/3. Anabama was Jield by several people. Mr. Justice Boucaut tried , to do something with it, Knd after having lost some thousands of ? bounds, he ultimately Bold it for £700 to Mr. 'John Rounsevell. ? Then it passed iuto the hands of -Messrs.' Elder & Waite, at very much below what had been expended ' upon it. Ouratan and Netley Were taken up by. Messrs. Browne Bro thers. They lost everything, and the run fell into the hands of Messrs. Elder and Waite. Tualkilky was taken up by Mr. Alexander Stewart. He lost everything, and the run fell into the hands of Messrs. Elder & Waite. Grampus was taken up by Mr. G. Vickcry, who held it for a number of years. He spent considerable sums in improvements, and ultimately sold the run with all its improvements. at the mere price of the sheep to Messrs. Elder and Waite. Ketchowla was taken up by the late Christopher Giles, who lost all he had in it. It then passed into the hands o£ Mr. Hillary Boucaut, who also lost everything. It then passed to Mr. F. P. Austin. He also lost everything. After that it fell into the hands of Sir Thomas Elder. Koonamore was taken up by . Messrs. Murray & Freeman who lost Everything,' and it then passed into the ' -liands of Mr. Pontt, who sold it to '\Ies3T8. Hamilton, Wilcox, & Co'.'!TBey 'had no return in interest on capital for »he first 10 years, after: they- purchased it. Baratta was'.held by Mr. Davidson who ?Jost everything. Then Mr.' Beeyor joined )um. and-got some more, capital.. and that nlso was lost. Then. Mr. Andrew Tenis.int bought the -.run, arid after having Jcept it for some years waa fortunate

-nough to sell it profitably to Messrs. A. McCulIoch & Co., and they lost more than Ur. Tennant made. ' Other Well-known Stations. Willippa was held by Mr. MJcCallum and sthers, and resulted in a very considerable loss. The run was then bought 'by Mr. A.. Tennant,- whose losses were most severe, there having been only 4,000 sheep in 1897 as against originally 25,000. Mattawarrangala was .taken up by W. E. Swan, who soldit to Messrs. Davies and Co., and in. spite of years of persistent effort they lost severely. Warcowie was taken up by Messrs. J. H. Roe'& Co., who ost everything, and sold, the' run to Mr. Santke, who resold it to Messrs. Sanders, who lost severely. Arkaba was taken, up )y Messrs. Marchant, 'who lost everything. The nnv was nltimately carried on -y Dr. Browne,- Ka'nyaka was taken up by Mr. John Phillips, who' lost everything in.it. It was then' carried :on by a company, who again lost. Coonatto was taken up by Messrs. Grant & Stokes, who lost everything in it. It was. then cut up or farmers.' Wilpena resulted in a very heavy loss:, to Messrs. Price & -Browne, who, .having the capital to carry on, were enabled to get something back '. when prices of wool were high. ? Oraparinna was latterly held by Messrs. Gleeson & Beare, who lost everything. Mr. Henry Scott had it, .and lost severely, and sold it with all improvements to Mr. Mugg for £5 In Angorichina Mr. H. C. Swan lost sverything. Mr. Mortlopk had it later on, and he, lost all his sheep. Messrs. Ross, Henning, & Baker, practically lost; everything in Angipena, and after their failure the loss continued to the subsequent owner. 'Mdolool was taken up by , Mr. Chambers.. It was then bought by 'Messrs. Philip Levi & Co., who lost more than £60,000 by it. Mr. W. K. Simms had it and lost £30,000. He sold; it to Mr. Tennant, whose losses were serious. In 1897 it had 11,000- sheep, whereas it formerly earned . 50,000; : Owea'tidina .was v-1 sold to Messrs..Gleeson'&. Beare, and' the'y 'lost everything in 'it'.' In Leigh's Creek and Finnig Mr. Weatherstone lost everything, Mr. Glen, of Messrs. Davenport & Co., also lost everything in it. Mundowdna was he'd by Mr. Matthews, who 'lost everything in it. Subsequently it changed landa several times.'but they did no'good. Warrakimbo was held by Mr. Sleep', who ost everything in it. Mr. Barr Smith bought it, and . owing to ? the phenomenal and temporary rise in wool after ; the ? American war did well. He sold it to Mr. Maslin, .sen., who lost.; Yadlamalka resulted in considerable loss to Mr. Henry Scott. Mount Searle was abandoned. Mount Arden was carried on at a very heavy loss by Mr. John Taylor, and was ?ultimately sold to Mr. Mortlock. Edihacara was purchased by Mr. Schammel; who lost more than £50,000 .in it. Arcoona brought luin as did Andamooka and Parakylia. Mr. Price Maurice lost probably :not less than £100,000 in Mount Eba, -while Pine Hills brought loss. Lake Eyre, fortunately, did not bring tuin to Mr. Tennant, but the firm, Messrs. Ferguson .& Tennant, sustained very severe losses. ? Pandurra was started by Mr. Waller. He did no good, and was afterwards managing for Messrs. Murray & Foster. Mr. Downer bought from them at about £30,000, and .-there were nearly 30,000 sheep. It was a loss to:' him because he- was outbid, and he had to give tip tbe.run^and take the sheep away. Cotnnna.was in the hands of Sir Samuel Davenport, whd was unsuccessful. It passed into the hands of the owners of Pandurra, ?who, were also unsuccessful, Wartita did nojgood to the occupants. Yardea, Pandurra, TJrio, Whittata, Coralbignie, Pondona, and. SKddleback have ?all been the ^reverse' of profitable to the early lessees.'- Carriewerloo did only noi cause ruin -Because its owners had othei sources.of Jwealth. Point Lowley may be 'said'tovHaVe .involved a succession . ol losses. ;, . ? . V - River;arid 'Other Properties. On Chucta Bend there was an absolutt loss of £25,000. Nildottie was pracKcall j abandoned in 1897, and so were Swai Reach, Portee, Mnrbko, Bokhara. Nott's Well, Tliurk. Booknuruong, Parinfta Hampton, Parkoola.- Markatanka, North west Bend. and. Pine Vale, all of'whicl: brought more or less ruin to everybodj cerned in them. At; Mt. Murrell and Owen Springs Sir; Thomas Elder must hay-

lost1 £40,000. Mr. J. W. Browne lost £90,000 on Newcastle Waters, -jnd on Idrajbwra Messrs. Grant & Stokes'lost £50,000. Messrs.' Patterson, Harvey, Cave, and one 3r two others, were formerly interested in rempe Downs, which resulted in serious loss. Crown Point was a failure. Abtninga involved Messrs. Duncan & Treloar in . a loss. Alice Springs, formerly held by Messrs. Tennant & Love, was also a loss. Mr. A. M. Wooldridge and one or two more interested in Barrow Creeek lost more than £20,000. Dalbousie Springs ivas once in the hands of tl-e family of E. M. Bagot, and they not only lost everything, but the bank sold the run for £1,000. Wirrealpa resulted in loss, and Paralanda, another of Mr. Hawker's stations resulted in serious loss, and ruin

to him was only averted by his having other sources of wealth. Tinga Tingana involved serious loss, and was abandoned. Mr. J. C. Hampton ,who was at Tickera all his life, lost everything he had.