THe JOURNAL 



or 



^fie department of Mgricufture 



or 

 VICTORIA. 



Vol. XVI. Part 8. 10th August, 1918. 



tabloidinCt of primary products.* 



By R. Crowe, Exports Superintendent. 



Upon receiving a request from the Secretary of the Chamber of 

 Agriculture to prepare a paper on this subject, I called to mind the 

 picture on the railway hoardings of the tearful bullock sniffing the 

 diminutive bottle of bovril with the superscription, " Alas ! my poor 

 brother." I recognised that it was a most appropriate subject for 

 discussion at the present time, and being quite unfettered by any sugges- 

 tion as to the method of approaching the question, I have dealt with it 

 in my own way. 



Primary produce is accumulating in Australia and New Zealand. 

 The shipping outlook is not wholly satisfactory, and, although some 

 people say that we have been singularly fortunate, so far, in getting 

 away nearly all our dairy produce and meat, I can only partially sup- 

 port that view. If Australia has been able to send overseas most of 

 its frozen meat, it is because the quantity for export has been small. 

 Surely it would have been far better for every one if we had enjoyed 

 such a good run of seasons as New Zealand has had — so good, in fact, 

 as to have given us an " embarrassment of riches." Whilst, during the 

 last three years, the Dominion of jSTew Zealand has received millions 

 for meat and dairy produce, Australia has been occupied in building 

 up her flocks and herds. Now that our stock is again reaching normal 

 numbers, there is certain to be large surpluses for oversea shipment 

 before the end of the present year, and perishable produce may accumu- 

 late in the same manner, but, of course, not to the same extent as wheat 

 and wool. I purpose dealing with the matter chiefly from the shipping 

 point of view, and to refer briefly to the staple primary products. 



Wool. 

 Some time since, when the scarcity of shipping began to be felt, those 

 interested in wool took steps to get as many bales as possible into a ship. 



• Paper read at the Annual Convention of the Chamber of Agriculture, July, 1918. 

 11128. 



o. 



