AUSTRALIA 37 



be allowed railway employees. They should elect their own 

 member to represent them. Other suggestions are : Quicker 

 transit, better trucks and loading, more care by engine drivers, 

 resting depots on long journeys for water and feed, stock trains 

 fitted with air brakes. 



7. Can the pastoral industry be encouraged by better land 

 laws ; if so, in what direction ? 



Security of tenure and full compensation for improvements. 

 Liberal land laws and reduction of taxation for purely stock 

 country, and exemption from Federal land tax of outside 

 leases. 



8. Do you look for increase in sheep and cattle from Murray 

 River reclaimed lands, and from closer settlement areas ? 



Only to limited extent unless prices warrant intense culture 

 and hand feeding. 



9. Do the cattle and sheep of Australia compare favourably 

 on the meat side with the live-stock of other meat-exporting 

 countries ? 



One correspondent who has visited Argentina writes : " The 

 cattle do not compare favourably. The average dead weight 

 beast from Queensland is much less than the Argentine aver- 

 age." A gentleman of many years' practical experience in the 

 meat trade of South America says : " Argentine breeders are 

 always importing stud stock to keep up the standard. There 

 is room for improvement in Australian cattle and better 

 methods of droving — less stockwhip and rough handling — and 

 better methods of dressing are essential in respect to mutton 

 and beef intended for export. Australian sheep are splendid, 

 especially Merinos, on the wool side, but bigger carcases are 

 needed for export." 



The following diagrams show in graph form the rise and 

 fall of meat production in Australia during the last half 

 century : — 



