The Project Gutenberg eBook ofQueensland, the Rich but Sparsely Peopled Country, a Paradise for Willing WorkersThis ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online atwww.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.Title: Queensland, the Rich but Sparsely Peopled Country, a Paradise for Willing WorkersAuthor: Queensland Government Intelligence and Tourist BureauRelease date: July 21, 2018 [eBook #57563]Language: EnglishCredits: Produced by ellinora, Robert Tonsing and the OnlineDistributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (Thisfile was produced from images generously made availableby The Internet Archive)*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK QUEENSLAND, THE RICH BUT SPARSELY PEOPLED COUNTRY, A PARADISE FOR WILLING WORKERS ***
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online atwww.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.
Title: Queensland, the Rich but Sparsely Peopled Country, a Paradise for Willing WorkersAuthor: Queensland Government Intelligence and Tourist BureauRelease date: July 21, 2018 [eBook #57563]Language: EnglishCredits: Produced by ellinora, Robert Tonsing and the OnlineDistributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (Thisfile was produced from images generously made availableby The Internet Archive)
Title: Queensland, the Rich but Sparsely Peopled Country, a Paradise for Willing Workers
Author: Queensland Government Intelligence and Tourist Bureau
Author: Queensland Government Intelligence and Tourist Bureau
Release date: July 21, 2018 [eBook #57563]
Language: English
Credits: Produced by ellinora, Robert Tonsing and the OnlineDistributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (Thisfile was produced from images generously made availableby The Internet Archive)
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK QUEENSLAND, THE RICH BUT SPARSELY PEOPLED COUNTRY, A PARADISE FOR WILLING WORKERS ***
Sixth Edition1915
About
QUEENSLAND
QueriesandReplies
The Queen Stateof theAustralianCommonwealth
Area, 429,120,000 acres
Intelligence and Tourist BureauCorner of Queen and George streets, Brisbane
QUEENSLAND
CLASSES WHO SHOULDCOME TO QUEENSLANDFarmersAgricultural LabourersMen accustomed to Live StockMinersDomestic ServantsMen, with small capital, accustomed to outdoor lifeMen, without capital, not afraid of hard workYoung men, without experience, who are willing to take employment whilst they learn the methods of work in QueenslandAny steady energetic individual from the above classes should have no difficulty in earning a good livelihood and in making a comfortable home in Queensland
CLASSES WHO SHOULDCOME TO QUEENSLAND
Farmers
Agricultural Labourers
Men accustomed to Live Stock
Miners
Domestic Servants
Men, with small capital, accustomed to outdoor life
Men, without capital, not afraid of hard work
Young men, without experience, who are willing to take employment whilst they learn the methods of work in Queensland
Any steady energetic individual from the above classes should have no difficulty in earning a good livelihood and in making a comfortable home in Queensland
Intelligence and Tourist BureauCorner of Queen and George Streets, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
20s. to 27s. 6d. per week with board and lodging.
20s. to 30s. per week with board and lodging.
5s. to 7s. per day with board and lodging.
7s. to 8s. 6d. per day.
8s. to 10s. per day.
20s. to 25s. per week with board and lodging.
10s. to 20s. per week with board and lodging.
11s. to 12s. per day of eight hours, or 5s. to 7s. 6d. per ton.
37s. to 39s. per week with board and lodging, or 8s. 8d. to 9s. 2d. per day of eight hours without board and lodging.
8s. to 12s. per day.
11s. to 14s. per day.
12s. to 14s. per day.
11s. to 13s. 4d. per day.
13s. to 14s. per day.
9s. 4d. to 13s. per day.
9s. 4d. to 15s. per day.
11s. to 12s. 6d. per day.
11s. to 13s. per day.
9s. to 11s. per day.
20s. to 35s. per week with board and lodging, 6s. to 8s. per day.
8s. to 12s. 4d. per day.
(Man, farm; Wife, cook) £80 to £120 per annum with board and lodging. On sheep and cattle stations married couples are provided with a furnished cottage, rations, and other perquisites to the value of about £3 per week in addition to their wages.
From 20s. to 35s. per week and found. Where married men are employed on sheep and cattle stations, they are allowed, in addition to their wages, a furnished house, rations, and other perquisites to the value of about £3 per week. Single men similarly employed get, besides their wages, board and lodging and other perquisites equivalent to what it would cost them for board and lodging in the township.
10s. to 15s. per week with board and lodging.
15s. to 30s. per week with board and lodging.
10s. to 30s. per week with board and lodging.
20s. to 40s. per week with board and lodging.
6s. to 8s. per day and one meal.
The State of Queensland is situated in the northeast of the island-continent of Australia, between latitude 29 deg. and 10 deg. south; longitude 153-1/2 and 138 deg. east.
The richest State of the Commonwealth of Australia, with an area of 429,120,000 acres, over 3,000 miles of coast line, and the healthiest climate in the world.
By any of the great steamship companies’ boats that call at Brisbane (the capital), or by any vessel sailing for Australian ports.
At the Queensland Agent-General’s Office, Marble Hall, 409 and 410 Strand, London, W.C., and Immigration Depôt, Kangaroo Point, Brisbane.
These are granted from the United Kingdom to any port of Queensland to agricultural labourers introduced under contract.
The employer must pay a fee of £7 for each labourer introduced, provide him with suitable accommodation, and guarantee him a year’s work at wages approved by the Government.
Approved immigrants can obtain a passage to any port in Queensland at the following rates:—Males, 12 years and upwards, £7; females, 12 years and upwards, £3; immigrants’ children (1 year and under 12 years), £1 10s. Maximum age: Males, married women, and widows, 45 years; single women, 35 years.
The sum of £1 must be deposited with the Agent-General, in addition to the prescribed fees. This sum is refunded to the immigrant on arrival. In the case of families applying for passages as assisted immigrants, one deposit only covers the whole family.
Residents of Queensland with a qualification of at least six months’ permanent residence therein can obtain passages for their friends and relatives in Great Britain and Europeonlyat the rates already stated.
Approved females (between the ages of 18 and 35 years), prepared to accept domestic service for twelve months, may obtain passages to Queensland on payment of £1 before sailing, the balance of the fare (£2) to be paid by monthly instalments within six months after their arrival in Queensland. Passages may also be granted to farm lads (between 16 and 20 years of age) on payment of £1 before sailing, the balance of the passage money (£6) to be paid by monthly instalments within six months after their arrival in Queensland. Employment is guaranteed in every case, and the lads must consent to work on a farm for, at least, twelve months.
An easy living to any industrious man or woman in the healthiest climate in the world.
Thousands of able-bodied men and women to fill up her empty spaces and develop her resources.
Agricultural labourers and domestic servants are in great demand at good rates of wages. (See wages list at pages 3 to 5.)
At the office of the Agent-General, Marble Hall, 409 and 410 Strand, London, W.C.
Queensland could easily carry a population of 50,000,000. At present she has only about 680,000 people.
At the Government Labour Bureau, Edward street, Brisbane, or any of its branches throughout the State.
At the Land Settlement Inquiry Office, Lands Department, Executive Buildings, George street, Brisbane, or any local Government Land Agent throughout the State.
At the Agricultural Department, William street, Brisbane.
At the Government Intelligence and Tourist Bureau, corner of Queen and George streets, Brisbane.
All informationretourists’ trips—especially the Great Northern coastal trip and magnificent scenery—can be obtained at the Government Intelligence and Tourist Bureau.
With her immense area and variety of soils and climates Queensland can produce every crop that is found in the markets of the world, from barley to cocoa. Her mineral wealth is very great and scarcely tapped.
Sugar-cane, wheat, oats, barley, rye, maize, lucerne, rape, cotton, tobacco (cigar and pipe), coffee, potatoes, fibres, rubber, ramie, pumpkins, sisal hemp, mangolds, sorghums, millet, rice, turnips, cowpea, canary seed, cassava, peanuts, arrowroot, and others.
Grapes, pineapples, bananas, oranges, lemons, mangoes, apples, pears, peaches, plums, apricots, cherries, figs, nectarines, quinces, strawberries, persimmons, passion fruit, almonds, blackberries, rosellas, custard apples, papaws, cocoanuts, Cape gooseberries, melons, guavas, loquats, and others.
Cabbages, cauliflowers, cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes (English and sweet), lettuce, cress, mustard, turnips, carrots, parsnips, beetroot, asparagus, borecole, leeks, rhubarb, beans, chicory, squashes, onions, capsicums, eschalots, peas, seakale, salsify, yams, artichokes, choko, chillies, celery, and others, including herbs of all sorts.
Wool, leather, hides and skins, tallow, frozen meat, pork, sugar, molasses, malt, butter, cheese, flour, bran, pollard, cornflour, wine, condensed milk, jams and preserved fruits, manufactured timber, biscuits, confectionery, clothing of all kinds, mineral and aerated waters, &c.
Gold, silver, copper, lead, tin, iron, coal, wolfram, bitumen, antimony, manganese, bismuth, molybdenite, limestone, ironstone, scheelite, graphite, &c.
Opal, topaz, sapphires, rubies, diamonds, agates, emeralds, zircon, oriental chrysoberyl, olivines, rock crystal, tourmaline, cornelian, amethyst, spinel, pleonaste, pyrope, cairngorm, white and yellow jargoon, carbonado.
429,120,000 acres, or 670,500 square miles.
920,010 acres.
132,655
8,826
156,775
10,085
3,224
147,743
76,469
And various acreages in miscellaneous crops. Total area under crops, 747,814 acres.
Both tropical, sub-tropical, and deciduous fruits do well. Thirty years ago out of every 100 cases of oranges imported into Queensland 95 came from New South Wales. Now the citrus fruit industry has grown to such an extent that Queensland does not import 5 per cent., but has become a big exporter to Southern centres.
Pineapples grow all the year round in Queensland.
Deciduous fruits principally at Stanthorpe. Bananas, oranges, mangoes, citrus fruits, tomatoes, &c., in the North. Pineapples, oranges, and citrus fruit (in large quantities), peaches, bananas, passion fruit, melons, custard apples, &c., in the South. The Blackall Range and Cleveland have also become great strawberry-producing districts.
Cereals, root crops, fodder plants, tobacco, cotton, English and sub-tropical fruits in the South. Sugar-cane, bananas, coffee, tobacco, cotton, and tropical products in the North. Wool on the Darling Downs and the great grazing districts west of the Main Range.
It varies considerably. Along the Pacific slope it runs approximately from 48 inches at Brisbane to 150 inches in the Far North. West of the Great Dividing Range the rainfall diminishes from 30 inches to about 10 inches, according to the distance from the Main Range.
The climate of Queensland is the most perfect winter season in the world.
Although there are occasional hot days, the summer season is not unpleasant. The mean summer temperatures are:—South Queensland, from 66.5 to 76.7; Central, 80.5; South-western, 80.8; North, 81.2; North-western, 84.3.
The death-rate in Queensland in 1913 was only 10.39 per 1,000.
Yes. They live to a great age in the genial atmosphere of Queensland.
Scotch, Irish, English, Welsh, Germans, Danes, Italians, Swedes, Russians, and other people of White nationalities. Russians, Swedes, and Danes make splendid colonists, and are warmly welcomed.
Yes. Men who go home with the intention of spending the rest of their lives in England are constantly returning to Queensland.
There are numerous avenues of investment in sheep and cattle stations, farming and dairying on a large scale, city and country properties, mines and timber, in the development of secondary industries, and in the growing of rubber.
With £150 to £200 a man can start dairying in a small way, and gradually increase his herd and operations. A good deal, of course, depends on the man.
He could make a good start with that.
With about £100 he could make a start. He could grow vegetables and minor crops until his trees grew old enough to bear, which would be in about three years from planting.
He could work for a station-owner or farmer until he had made enough to pay his deposit on the land he eventually selects.
There is a great demand for this class.
Inexperienced men should take some employment and learn the methods of work in Queensland before sinking their capital in land or stock.
Domestic servants, especially cooks, are in urgent demand at wages ranging from 10s. to 30s. per week.
There are fifty-eight Land Agents’ Districts in Queensland, in all of which vacant Crown lands are still obtainable.
Agricultural farms vary from 10s. per acre upwards.
Over the age of 16 years.
Yes. If he pays the first deposit, the Crown may defer payment of the next three years’ rent.
It is divided over the fifth to the thirteenth year with interest at 4 per cent. per annum.
Yes; with the exception of a homestead area, if she is over 16 years.
Yes; if she is over 21 years.
She may hold any selection not subject to personal residence conditions.
A married woman is not competent to select an agricultural homestead, a grazing homestead, free homestead, perpetual lease selection, agricultural farm, or prickly-pear selection, subject to the conditions of personal residence, unless she has obtained an order for judicial separation, or an order protecting her separate property.
Under “The Married Women’s Property Act, 1890,” she can hold any land, which she purchases absolutely, as if she were a man.
Twenty years are allowed in which to pay for an agricultural farm. No interest is charged.
The annual instalment is 6d. in the £1—that is, 2-1/2 per cent., or 3d. per acre on 10s. land; 6d. per acre on £1 land; 1s. per acre on £2 land. The whole of this goes to principal.
At above rate, in twenty years the farm is half paid for, and during that time the farmer has had the use of the farm for much less than a fair rental. At the end of the twenty-first year, he is expected to pay the remaining half. Taking money as worth 5 per cent., this is equivalent to selling the land at half the proclaimed price.
On an agricultural farm, agricultural homestead, perpetual lease selection, grazing selection, and unconditional selection —one year’s rent, and 1/5th of survey fee; on free homestead—fee of £1, and 1/5th of survey fee; on prickly-pear selection—full amount of survey fee.
£3 16s., taking the price of the land at 10s. per acre.
In five years.
Queensland offers an unencumbered freehold title. The deeds for an agricultural farm may be obtained at any time after five years by paying the outstanding balance.
If such balance is paid off before it is due, a discount of 2-1/2 per cent. per annum is allowed.
Maximum area, 2,560 acres (this, however, is allowed only in remote districts); price, from 10s. per acre upwards. The land must be fenced within five years, or other improvements effected equal in value to the cost of fencing. Five years’ personal residence or occupation as the case may require; thereafter, until made freehold, the condition of occupation must be performed.
The lease may be obtained as soon as the improvements are completed, and can be mortgaged, or, with the permission of the Minister, the land may be subdivided, transferred, or sublet.
Agricultural homesteads and free homesteads cannot be mortgaged. Agricultural selections and prickly-pear selections obtained under five years’ residence priority cannot be mortgaged during the first five years.
The price for a homestead is 2s. 6d. per acre, the annual rent 3d. per acre, the terms ten years’ personal residence, and the maximum area 320 acres.
Land must be fenced within five years, or improvements made equal to value of such fence. When five years of residence have been performed and improvements effected, the selector may pay up the remaining rent, so as to make his total payments equal to 2s. 6d. per acre, and obtain deed of grant.
The total area held by one person must not exceed 60,000 acres, but when the area exceeds 20,000 acres the annual rental at the notified rental must not exceed £200.
Rental from nil per acre per annum. Term up to twenty-eight years. The holding must be continuously occupied by the selector or manager or agent. Within three years the land must be fenced. In cases where no rental is charged, the land is more or less infested with prickly pear or noxious weeds.
As soon as the holding is fenced the lease is issued, which may be mortgaged or transferred, as stated in the case of agricultural farms.
If it is proved to the satisfaction of the Commissioner that two or more selections, each of which is at a distance not exceeding five miles from each of the others, are held by members of one family,bonâ fidein their own separate interests, the Commissioner may issue a special license enabling the conditions of personal residence or the conditions of occupation required to be performed by them in respect of their selections to be performed by their residence on one of the selections which is itself held subject to the conditions of personal residence or conditions of occupation.
Similar conditions to grazing farms, except that—
Up to 1,280 acres may be obtained under this tenure, at from 13s. 4d. per acre, payable in twenty annual instalments without interest. No other conditions.
A deed of grant may be obtained at any time on payment of the balance of the purchase price. Two and a-half per cent. per annum is allowed if the amount is paid before due.
Maximum area, 2,560 acres. This applies to land infested with prickly-pear. Term, twenty-five years, with a peppercorn rental for the first period, and an annual rent during the second period equal to the amount of the purchasing price divided by the number of years in the second period.
The land must be absolutely cleared of pear during the first period as notified in the notification opening the land for selection, and kept clear during the second period.
The freehold may be obtained at any time after the expiration of two years from the beginning of the second period by the payment of the balance of the purchase money, provided he has obtained a certificate from the Commissioner that the conditions have been fulfilled.
The price varies according to the state of infestation from nil upwards, and in some cases where the land is badly infested a bonus is given. The purchasing price or bonus is stated in the opening notification.
Pastoral holdings may be obtained on long leases, with practically no restriction as to area. Terms up to thirty years.
Large areas may be rented from the Government from year to year under an occupation license. No limitation to area.
Under special conditions families from the same community are allowed to settle in groups so as to permit of their retaining their social relations.
Groups of from six families to as many as seventy families have already been successfully formed.
It is a good plan for friends to club together to pay the expenses of one of their number to go to Queensland to find land for a “group” to accommodate them all.
Under the provisions of “The Miners’ Homestead Leases Act of 1913,” homestead leases can be acquired by application, or by tender or public auction by residents of any mining field throughout the State, in areas not exceeding 640 acres. During the first period of thirty years the annual rental on areas up to 40 acres is 1s. per acre, and 6d. for any additional acreage in excess of this area. This rental does not, of course, apply to homesteads acquired by tender or sale. After the expiration of the thirty years’ lease a nominal rental of 1s. only can be demanded. The minimum annual rental for any homestead is 5s.
Yes, provided he obtains a certificate to the effect that he can read and write words in such language as the Minister for Lands may direct; also provided that he becomes a naturalised British subject within five years of his selecting the land, failing which he will forfeit all his right, title, and interest in the land selected.
Any person who is not a British subject. For instance, Americans, Frenchmen, Swedes, Italians, Russians, &c.
After he has been at least two years in the Commonwealth of Australia, he may take the oath of allegiance, become a Britisher, and enjoy all the freedom and privileges appertaining thereto.
At the local Land Office.
Most of the land is not far from existing lines. The policy of the Government, however, is to build light railway lines (as feeders to the main lines) to tap agricultural districts, and to anticipate settlement.
Some of these short lines which it is proposed to build will open up an immense area of good land.
Crown lands may be acquired in fee-simple by auction purchase in limited areas as town and suburban lots.
The minimum purchasing price for land bought at auction is 10s. per acre.
Terms of Purchase. Terms up to ten years may be allowed, with interest at 5 per cent. per annum.
The Government issues a railway ticket at half the ordinary fare to the intending settler desirous of inspecting Crown land with a view of selecting an area not exceeding 5,120 acres. If the intending settler subsequently takes up a selection, subject to personal residence conditions, not exceeding 5,120 acres in area, the half-fare paid by him is refunded, and his family, self, ordinary household furniture and effects, agricultural implements, seed, one dray, and one set of harness are carried free to the railway station nearest to his selection.
Special reduced rates are granted for the carriage of building material, fencing wire, and two truckloads of live stock. Wire netting is also supplied on twenty years’ terms at 5 per cent. per annum.
If desired, the State will also sink wells on waterless country, spreading the cost over the total purchase price of the land over the term of lease.
A Government Bank institution established, primarily, for the purpose of assisting new settlers and also agriculturists and graziers, to whom it makes advances on the security of freeholds, licenses, and leases from the Crown, for the purpose of making improvements on the land or for paying off liabilities, at 5 per cent. per annum, repayable in twenty-five years or at any time at the option of the borrower.
The applicant for an advance must give a first mortgage on his holding. The bank advances 12s. in the £1 on the total value of the land and improvements.
For the first five years only simple interest is charged at 5 per cent. per annum. After five years the borrower must begin to redeem his advance at the rate of £4 0s. 3d. half-yearly for each £100 borrowed, inclusive of interest, until the whole has been paid.
Yes. The Agricultural Bank will advance 12s. in the £1 of the total value of the land and improvements for the purpose of purchasing stock, machinery, or implements the selector desires to purchase, or for relieving the liability on the holding. Advances at the rate of 13s. 4d. in the £1 on the value of the land and improvements thereon up to £200 can also be obtained for unspecified purposes.
Yes, provided he obtains a certificate to the effect that he can read and write words in such language as the Minister for Lands may direct; also provided he becomes a naturalised British subject within five years of his selecting the land.
Under the provisions of this Act the Government make advances, on easy terms of repayment, for the purpose of enabling persons of small incomes to erect dwelling-houses as homes for themselves and their families. The applicant must show that his income does not exceed £200 per annum, and that he is not the owner of a dwelling-house in Queensland or elsewhere.
Plenty of good freehold farms change hands from time to time in Queensland at from £3 to £20 per acre. Settlers not desirous of taking up Government land can easily be suited privately.
It varies with the locality. All of the Northern and Eastern scrub lands are intensely fertile with vegetable mould. The Darling Downs contains 4,000,000 acres of magnificent black soil, principally decomposed basalt. The soil in the Maranoa district is lighter and more suited to wheat-growing and vines. These descriptions apply pretty generally to the whole of Queensland, particularly the Central Districts.
Those who carry on mixed farming, such as dairying, agriculture, sheep, pig and poultry raising, horticulture and bee-farming, &c.
Yes; many of them now go in for lamb-raising on lucerne. There are also a number of selectors who have sheep on areas of from 640 to 4,000 acres.
Yes, every day; and nearly all the dairy farmers are independent men.
90,545,516 gallons. Quantity utilised for making butter, 73,582,041 gallons; for cheese, 5,268,447 gallons; for condensed milk, 2,131,382 gallons; sold for domestic purposes, 4,178,758 gallons; and 5,384,888 gallons used on farms.
Most of them began in a very small way, buying a cow now and again as they could afford it.
Yes, for the most part. The larger farmers have also taken up dairying in addition to wheat, maize, barley, lucerne, and oat growing.
35,199,387 lb., valued at £1,613,305.
5,395,050 lb., valued at £141,400.
8,059,051 lb., valued at £187,536.
From 15s. to 30s. per month.
From £5 to £8. Of course some well-bred cows fetch a much higher figure.
Dairy stock have been imported to Queensland from the principal herds of the world, and a splendid class of cow is now in use, comprising the following breeds:—Milking Shorthorn, Ayrshire, Holstein, Guernsey, and Jersey.
It all depends on the size of the holding. There are many large properties in Queensland milking several hundred cows daily throughout the year. The average herd is about 20, but many farmers milk from 80 to 150 daily.
With good land, mixed farming, and by growing crops and conserving fodder, you could carry 30 to 40 at a low estimate. Some 160 acres cleared scrub farms carry 70 to 80 cows.
Suppliers to the factories are paid monthly by cheque, and some draw £100 and over per month for milk and cream.
Pig-raising is now considered to be a part of dairying, and is very profitable. The climate is particularly suited to pigs, and no housing is required.
On some holdings large mobs of young pigs are grazed on barley or alfalfa (lucerne), and topped up in batches in large sties.
There is a certain market for pigs in Brisbane, Toowoomba, &c., where there are bacon-curing establishments.
Wheat is sown (late maturing varieties) in March and April, and (quick maturing varieties) in May, June, and July. Harvesting extends from October to early in December.
In Southern Queensland. It can also be grown in the Central-western districts of Queensland.
Crops of 20 to 30 bushels to the acre are commonly reaped in the best wheat-growing districts of Queensland. Forty bushels per acre have often been obtained in individual instances.
Maize is planted in July and August right up to January, and is fit for harvesting in 120 days. It can be grown all over Queensland, where the rainfall is sufficient. Two crops a year are possible in sub-tropical scrub and coastal country.
Immense yields of maize, from 40 to 80 bushels per acre, are frequently obtained on the rich scrub lands. Yields of 120 bushels per acre have also been obtained.
Barley does particularly well on the Darling Downs, where the quality of the crop for malting purposes is held by English experts to equal the best Hungarian. Crops of from 30 to 40 bushels are frequent in a good season.
Sugarcane growing is carried on along the coastal area from Brisbane northwards. It is planted from January to June; 2,085,588 tons of sugarcane were produced in 1913.
Prices for cane vary according to its sugar-producing properties and the locality in which it is grown. These, however, range from 20s. to 27s. per ton. Crops of from 40 to even 70 tons per acre have been obtained in the North.
Hay averaged about 1-3/4 tons to the acre for the last twenty years. Individual crops yield much heavier results.
Both English and sweet potatoes give heavy yields.
154,183,114
265,481,423
520,748
35,199,387
5,395,050
13,709,716
3,915,376
1,769,432
115,975
2,085,588
242,837
16,548
14,425
103,935
375,544
4,092,531
58,897
1,037,936
744,906
156,349
152,608
49,423
32,287
53,579
This is one of the best crops a farmer can grow in Southern Queensland. Once planted, it lasts from seven to ten years.
The roots of lucerne have been known to penetrate the soil for a depth of 30 ft. In a good year five to six cuttings can be obtained. Ten cuttings per annum are often obtained around Laidley, Southern Queensland.
Yes. Wheat or Maize.
The method is to fell the scrub, and, after it has dried, put a fire through it. Maize is then put in with a hoe between the stumps. Some crops up to 85 bushels per acre have been garnered in this way.
There is a State Agricultural College at Gatton, South Queensland, where students can undergo a three years’ training at a cost of under £30 per annum.
Yes. At Hermitage, near Warwick; Roma, South-western Queensland; Warren, near Rockhampton; Gindie, near Emerald; Kairi, Atherton district (North Queensland); and at Kamerunga, near Cairns (North Queensland); Sugar Experiment Station and Laboratory, Mackay (North Queensland); and experimental plots in all the principal sugar districts.
At first a farmer generally erects a rough, cheap building of materials cut on the place at a cost of a few pounds, and when matters improve puts up a more suitable dwelling.
Iron and wood can be obtained in any part of Queensland. Competition among the timber merchants is so keen that timber can be procured at a small cost. A small comfortable cottage can be built for about £100 upwards.
The last drought was in 1902, and even then there were parts of Queensland not affected by it. Droughts do not, as a rule, affect the whole country, and with extended railway communication relief country will be available.
The recuperative power of the land is marvellous. A fortnight after summer rain (following a dry spell) the country is waving with grasses. Owing to the mild climate, the growth is phenomenal.
Farmers can readily dispose of all they can grow in the local markets, where competition amongst buyers is keen.
There is a certain market in the South for all Queensland produce.
A certain market for wool, hides, butter, cheese, frozen meat, and other products exists in Great Britain and Europe. Trade with the United States and Canada is developing. There are splendid openings for trade with Java, China, Japan, and the East generally.
Cattle, horses, bones, hoofs, leather, butter, cheese, fodder, fruits, glue pieces and sinews, barley, oats, wheat, bran, pollard, flour, hay, chaff, honey, refined animal fats, manures, bacon and hams, beef, mutton, pork, other meat, milk concentrated and preserved, potatoes, skins and hides, tallow, wool.
There were 707,265 horses in Queensland in 1913. A large remount trade is now done with India, Java, and the East.
Cattle do well all over Queensland, and especially on the Eastern coast lands and the North.
5,322,033 for 1913.
On the great central plains of Western Queensland, and in the country west of the Dividing Range.
Number of Sheep in Queensland. 21,786,600 for 1913.
13,394,556.
£6,296,000.
Imports (oversea only), £6,714,942; Exports (oversea only), £12,352,748; total, £19,067,690. The above figures do not, of course, include interstate transactions. It is reasonable to assume that the total value of the imports and exports would be, at least, doubled.
On a grazing farm of 20,000 acres, with a capital of £4,000, he could make a net income of £600 to £1,000 a year.
Some of the stations carry from 100,000 to 200,000 sheep, and are over 1,000 square miles in area. One is 5,000 square miles in area.
There are 12,393 men employed in and around mines in Queensland.
From 8s. 3d. to 13s. per shift of eight hours.
Between 20 and 40 years.
He could get work in a mine or prospect the country in search of minerals.
78,073 square miles.
17,973,674 fine oz.
£76,347,265.
£31,419,755. Grand total, all minerals, £107,767,020.