9 Dec, 1907.] FiftJi Convention, Chamher of Agriculture. 733 



FIFTH CONVENTIOX OF THE VICTORIAN CHAMBER 

 OF AGRICULTURE, JUNE, 1907. 



VI.— SOME LAW (AS IT MORE PARTICULARLY AFFECTS 



FARMERS). 



(Co)itiii/ii'd from page J/./.) 

 /. W'cldfli! Power, Horsham. 



Travelling Stock. 



As I understand this matter, the point of view from which it is desired 

 to discuss it is that of the control of travelling stock and the prevention 

 of the practice now so prevalent of droving stock along the roads of the 

 State for the purpose of grazing such stock. The question is a large one, 

 just as large as the nuisance itself, and that is saying a good deal. I 

 must coiicede at once that existing legislation is in my judgment quite 

 inadequate to keep the nuisance within reasonable limits. Theoretically 

 the existing law is no doubt adequate ; at least It is clear enough, but like 

 a great many other things when wrong-doOTS set themselves to e\ade 

 the law, the latter will remain a dead letter because of the expense of 

 attempts to enforce it and the uncertainty of being able to proveyup to 

 the standard of proof required by pur Criminal Courts, any breaches Of 

 the law. The matter in hand, however, does not merely stop with the 

 question of controlling and repressing the nuisance. That is a simple 

 enough matter. Behind this is the question of the nuisance itself, how it 

 comes into existence, why it exists, how it affects the slock producer, and 

 how its abolition will affect him. The main roots of the evil are the 

 dealer without bond fide pasture, the stock-speculating auctioneer, and 

 the occasional but still existent greedy grazier. Such dealers and specu- 

 lating auctioneers may be regarded as one root. To eradicate this root 

 is a simple matter and one for the stock-breeders and owners to determine 

 foi themselves. The question is, shall the root be eradicated? What 

 is involved in its eradication? The dealer is practically always in the 

 market, always more or less ready to buy, at a price, stock which the 

 stock-owner is for the time being unable to carry. If the dealer be wiped 

 out, stock-owners must be prepared to carry their stock to the legitimate 

 consumer either in the shape of the direct fat-stock market or the direct 

 stores buyer ; or, if there be no stores buyer, then to the tallow vats. In 

 favour of the dealers it must be said that they come in handy and relieve 

 the stock-owners of the worry of getting into touch with the direct con- 

 sumer. The point is reached on a falling market when the stock-owner 

 must reduce his head of stock or get pasture. It seems invariably to 

 happen on such occasions that there is a scarcity of feed in the stock- 

 owner's own district, and the direct stores buyer there, is not out to buy. 

 The owner does not care to take the risk of consigning to distant markets, 

 and he does not like the illegitimate device of putting the stock on the 

 roads on pretence of travelling them to such markets. Here the dealer 

 comes in and takes the stock off the owner's hand.s — at a price. On the 

 other hand is the price the stock-owner has to- pav for this handiness and 

 relief. 



Consider the army of dealers and hangers-on that is supported by 

 the margin between the stock-owner's selling price and that paid by the 

 legitimate consumer or purcha.ser. Consider how on a rising or steady 



