10 March, 1917.] Sidelight^ on the Olive Oil Intlusiry. 



163 



4 acres was planted in 1879 by the late Mr. J li. Thompson, a former 

 l)rinci|);il. The greatest output of olive oil from the eollege was 

 :i;)0 gallons. This included oil made from the olives sent by various 

 growers. Messrs. Docker Brothers, of Bontherambo, in the north-east 

 of this State, were the earliest to estaldish an olive plantation; hut the 

 cost of ])ickiiig, at the then comparatively low price of the oil, checked 

 further enterprise. The Mildura i)lantations have been for some time 

 in bearing, and an excellent oil of fine colour is made there. At the 

 Wagga Experimental Station, in New South Wales, there is a fine 

 selection of olive trees. 



I am under obligation to Mr. G. IT. Knibbs, C.M.Cr., the Common- 

 wealth Statistician, for the following data, kindly supplied in respect to 

 the olive oil industry of the ConmHinwealtli ; and also the statistics 

 relative to the importation of the v<-getable oils. There is only one 

 manufacturer of linseed oil in the Commonwealtli, and the oil is manu- 

 factured mainly from imported seed. There is also one factory in 

 Victoria, which I believe is managed by an old Dookie student, where 

 castor oil is made from imported seed. 



The following statistics relative to the olive oil produced witliin the 

 Commonwealth is interesting when taken in conjunction with the annual 

 imports of this oil. It shows how much the Commonwealth is dependent 

 on other countries, mainly Italy and France, for its .supplies when it is 

 quite possible to furnish its own, and possibly some for export: — 



Peoductiox of Olive Oil within the Commonwealth. 



Gallons. 



1908 . . . . . . 12,998 



19C9 .. .. .. 16,464 



I'.tlO . . . . 26,340 



Ulll .. .. .. 7,817 



Utl2 .. .. .. 3,762 



1913 .. .. .. 26.972 



1914 . . . . . . 3,000 (approximately) 



The Imports of Olive Oil into the Commonwealth during the 

 LAST Three Years. 



Vear. Gallons. Value. 



1913 



1914-15 



1915-16 



59,221 



67,82.") 



119,087 



£19,304 

 £21,079 

 £41,187 



Imports of Olive and Other Vegetable Oils (in bulk) during the 



LAST Three Years. 



22 



