Fix this text
THE
Fix this textAUSTRALASIAN PASTORALISTS’ REVIEW:
Fix this textA MONTHLY JOURNAL AND RECORD
Fix this textOf all matters affecting the Pastoral and Landed Interests throughout Australasia.
Fix this textNo. 6.
Fix this textAUGUST 15, 1896.
Fix this textYou. YI.
Fix this textThe Victorian Stock Tax.
Fix this textDuring periods of depression such as the present, it is our
Fix this textduty to discover, and, if possible, remove every avoidable
Fix this textfactor in such results. Droughts cannot be fought against,
Fix this textnor are they entirely malevolent. The gentle rabbit has
Fix this textno friends, and no lack of physical or mental endeavour
Fix this texthas been shown in checking his advances. Another enemy
Fix this textto all New South Wales pastoralists, and by far the greater
Fix this textportion of Victorian ones, was spiritedly attacked on its
Fix this textfirst appearance, but of late has had but little hostile treat-
Fix this textment. We refer to the Victorian Stock Tax. The number
Fix this textof stockgrowers whom this benefits is small and consists of
Fix this textlarge Victorian graziers who had little to do with its
Fix this textimposition. We do not propose to attack it from the
Fix this textpoints of view in which it is held by meat consumers
Fix this textgenerally, butchers, stock agents, and other enemies,
Fix this textthough they have innumerable and reasonable arguments
Fix this textin favour of its abolition, but to treat of its effects upon
Fix this textNew South Wales and Victorian graziers and their flocks
Fix this textand herds.
Fix this textWith regard to sheep, Victorian growers in most districts
Fix this textare now of opinion that crossbreds are more payable sheep
Fix this textto breed than Merinos, and of the former sheep, one of the
Fix this textmost valuable, from its all round excellence, is the half-bred
Fix this textLincoln, or, as it is generally and erroneously described by
Fix this text■butchers and wool-buyers, the Comeback. To produce
Fix this textthese sheep to perfection, the grower must have an even
Fix this textline of well-bred Merino ewes ; and, as evenness of type,
Fix this textboth in wool and carcase, is an essential point in the cross-
Fix this textbred, the ewes used should be from one flock, and that an
Fix this texteven one. Before the imposition of the Stock Tax, the
Fix this textalmost universal custom of the Victorian farmer who
Fix this textdesired to breed crossbreds was to get a line of well-bred
Fix this textMerino ewes from a good Riveiina flock, and if he then
Fix this textselected even and absolutely pure Lincoln rams to put to
Fix this textthem, the result was an even lot of half-bred sheep. The
Fix this texttrouble in crossbreeding from mixed lots of ewes is that
Fix this textthe carcases vary too much to please the butcher, and the
Fix this textfleeces are too dissimilar to suit the wool buyer.
Fix this textUnder existing circumstances, Victorian sheep growers
Fix this textfind it extremely difficult to obtain a line of good Merino
Fix this textewes to breed from —the number of breeders of Merino
Fix this textsheep in their own colony being so small—and when
Fix this textobtained they cannot compare with the Riverina ewes in
Fix this textframe, quantity of wool, or freedom from disease.
Fix this textBuyers for fattening purposes are equal sufferers, for
Fix this textnothing paid so well to fatten as a good lot of Riverina
Fix this textwethers, early shorn, large framed, sound, and even in
Fix this textwool and carcase. From such sheep the Stock Tax debars
Fix this textthe Victorian buyer, and he too frequently fills their place
Fix this textwith undersized, poorly-clad, unhealthy sheep, such as we
Fix this textsee but too frequently in every Victorian saleyard, and
Fix this textwhich in the good old days would have found their way to
Fix this textthe boiling-down establishments. The Stock Tax therefore
Fix this texttends to perpetuate disease, to reduce the character of
Fix this textVictorian wool, bring down the standard of butchers’ sheep,
Fix this textand benefit only a few individuals.
Fix this textWith regard to cattle, the importations were mainly for
Fix this textfattening purposes, and Victorian buyers, with country
Fix this textrich enough to fatten them, invariably preferred the even
Fix this textlines of heavy well-bred cattle produced north of the
Fix this textMurray to their own smaller and, as a rule, rougher lots.
Fix this textThe demand for these would be little affected by the
Fix this textabolition of the tax, as so many buyers are unable to
Fix this textfatten the larger framed Northern animals. As we are
Fix this texttreating the subject generally and not as it affects one
Fix this textcolony, there is no need to enlarge on such matters, as
Fix this textloss of freight or lack of employment, for which the
Fix this textrevenue received is so inadequate a compensation.
Fix this textThe embittered relations between the colonies and the
Fix this textadditional stumbling block in the way of early federation
Fix this textare, however, matters of general moment, and constitute a
Fix this textstrong objection to the continuance of the tax.
Fix this textThe obstinate adherence to a similar policy cost Great
Fix this textBritain a continent, and though pastoralists almost unani-
Fix this textmously condemn the tax, they suffer supinely of late, and
Fix this textseem to think, as Professor Wallace does of the deadly
Fix this texttick, that, like the cattle, they may in the distant future
Fix this textfatten in spite of it, though meanwhile its presence causes
Fix this textthem a constant irritation.
Fix this textThe deterioration in the quality of the flocks and herds,
Fix this textcaused by the existence of the tax, is not confined entirely
Fix this textto Victoria, for many Riverina graziers are induced to
Fix this textoverstock owing to the increased difficulty in disposing of
Fix this texttheir surplus stock, and as a necessity are more at the
Fix this textmercy of the seasons.
Fix this textNature has provided in the plains of Riverina the best
Fix this textbreeding-ground for sheep in the world, and Victoria, by
Fix this texther short-sighted legislation, refuses to take her share in
Fix this textthat material benefit to all southern Australia. Had it not
Fix this textbeen for the mistaken theory of the Victorian farmers that
Fix this textthey must scramble for a supposed assistance from the
Fix this textProtectionist policy of their colony, without any clear
Fix this textnotion of what chance of benefit they might ultimately
Fix this textderive from it, the prohibitive duties would never have been
Fix this textimposed, and though it is so much easier to stumble in the
Fix this textmire than struggle out of it, a more careful study of the
Fix this texteffects of the Stock Tax should lead them and all who
Fix this textdesire their own and the general good, to cast from the
Fix this textback of Victoria this self-imposed “Old Man of the Sea”
Fix this textand not continue to stagger under it without any united
Fix this textattempt for its removal.
Fix this textIt's easy and takes two shakes of a lamb's tail!
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http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-539996365
(1891). The Australasian pastoralists' review : a monthly journal and record of all matters affecting the pastoral and landed interests throughout Australasia Retrieved August 19, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-539996365
The Australasian pastoralists' review : a monthly journal and record of all matters affecting the pastoral and landed interests throughout Australasia Melbourne: Twopenny, Pearce and Co, 1891. Web. 19 August 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-539996365>
1891, The Australasian pastoralists' review : a monthly journal and record of all matters affecting the pastoral and landed interests throughout Australasia Twopenny, Pearce and Co, Melbourne viewed 19 August 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-539996365
{{Citation
|
| title=The Australasian pastoralists' review : a monthly journal and record of all matters affecting the pastoral and landed interests throughout Australasia.
| year=1891
| section=v. : ill.
| issn=0314-7096
| issue=Vol. 6 No. 6 (15 August 1896)
| location=Melbourne
| publisher=Twopenny, Pearce and Co
| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-539996365
| id=nla.obj-539996365
| access-date=19 August 2025
| via=Trove
}}
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