Thankyou Carole for the 1902 quote IF it was last week: BEFORE the stock would be elligible for the 1/2 rate fare most of the flock/herd would have to be dead to prove it was an exceptional drought. THEN it would have to be applied for, the public servants would consider it for a few more weeks, the local stock water would have been ALL dried up, and there would be very few animals left to be transported. A MOUNTAIN of paperwork will have to be done by each farmer to apply for any funds available. (Full 2yr budget, Balance sheet, justify that you have the potential to survive financially yet don't have the rescources to help oneself. One's personal rescources are already exhausted and better spent on the real tasks of the drought than on govt red tape) THEN the conclusion in Sydney and Canberra would be the transport subsidy isn't needed because it was under-utilised. Are we supposed to prepare for a 1 in 100 year drought? And how? There isn't enough "fat" in the good years to lay any aside. Remember abt 2 years ago we had ONE good year and the media were refering to the well-off farmers? Once there is exceptional circumstances declared (very few areas are now elligible the Pilliga is about to be declared) Freight ONLY is subsidised for feed and water. NO help for the infrastructure for pipes or bores which would replace the more expensive and exhausting cartage of water. Feed to purchase is now almost unprocurable except from other states possibly only WA Tas as SA and Vic are joining us fast. If one wished to build a large farm dam to help drought proof oneself, forget it. The red tape is unclimbable. It is considered bad for the environment to store too much water that lands on the farm. Its supposed to be allowed to run off and evaporate out west. Then when we are in drought we are branded as unprepared. (So far we have bought only one load of cottonseed to balance the diet of stored farm-produced feed - otherwise we had enough stored to hand feed for 6 months) End of whinge. I have to go out and feed my lot, then go start the pump for their water for the next couple of days. The past few hours I have been staring at paddock maps trying to budget feed to get past Christmas - and we are very well off compared to the Pilliga and further West and North - we have (had) grain crops (failed) which will be fed off this month so at least the sheep have tucker. We are in a "safe" area and should get some summer rain - the western and southern blokes can forget it til Autumn. Back to the point - how much have attitudes and the methods changed in 100 years?? We have the knowledge to feed enough of the right feed for survival. What was available 100 years ago had enough calories but not enough of the proteins and vitamins and minerals to enable the stock to utilise the feed so death thru malnutrition rather than starvation was often the case. At least we don't have to face the prospect of trying to get droughted stock to the rail head along bare stock routes. These days the trucks come to the stock though the only direction they can go is to the abbatoirs. Enjoy the cheap meat while its there because there will be a shortage once it does rain. And it will rain - Its a day closer than yesterday. Best Wishes Glynis Ps thankyou for reading my moaning - sorry for getting off the Genealogical point ----- Original Message ----- From: Carole Douch <douch1@dodo.com.au> To: <AUS-NSW-PILLIGA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, October 21, 2002 8:29 AM Subject: newspaper > One Hundred Years ago > 25-10-1902 > > From Merriwa and Cassilis Standard > > Rate for the Carriage of Starving Stock. > > The Railway Commissioners have gazetted the following by-law, to come into operation on and from October 25,1902: - Where the grass or water in any stock district has failed, through the drought, and it is necessary for the preservation of the stock that they should be removed for the purpose of feed, they will be carried by rail at half rate, conditionally upon the production of a statutory declaration from the owner, and a certificate from the stock inspector of the district that they are being removed under the conditions described. > > Cassilis News > The Weather. A strange haze was visible over the hills all Sunday, presumably dust from the Australian country desert. > > Sheep and the Country's Aspect. > Many transactions in sheep are rumoured. People of this district are not disconcerted by the late drought, as the country recovers quickly and marvellously. Already we begin to compare it again to the land of Goshen > > This was a Hundred Year's ago, not last week. > > > By Carole Douch for the Merriwa Historical Society Inc. > douch1@dodo.com.au >