§ Mr. J. Morrisonasked the Minister of Food what proportion of the 700,000 acres acquired by the Queensland British Food Corporation is suitable for cultivation, and what proportion for grazing; and what areas of each are so far being used.
§ Mr. WebbOf the 726,000 acres owned by the Queensland-British Food Corporation about 185,000 acres are suitable for arable agriculture, 443,000 acres for grazing and the remainder is grazing land within arable paddocks. The Corporation have had between 50,000 and 60,000 acres under crop each year, but the particular area under crop is changed for purposes of rotation with grassland. Stocks are also moved from paddock to paddock and normally the whole of the Corporation's land is used for grazing at one time or another during the year.
§ Mr. J. Morrisonasked the Minister of Food what steps are being taken by the Queensland British Food Corporation to check soil erosion on its properties.
§ Mr. WebbOnly a small proportion of the Corporation's arable land is subject to water erosion, but the trouble so far has not been serious. The land is not susceptible to wind erosion. To check such erosion as occurs, ploughing, cultivation and seeding on sloping land is done on the contour; creek and drainage channels are being grassed; newly formed channels are healed in their incipient stages and where necessary earthworks are erected. The burning of stubbles is avoided as far as possible and the use of disc implements ensures that a good proportion of the stubble is left in or near the surface.
§ Mr. J. Morrisonasked the Minister of Food how many head of cattle are carried per square mile of the grazing land at present in use by the Queensland British Food Corporation.
§ Mr. WebbThe Corporation's properties at present carry on average about 20 beasts to the square mile. The need to restore the natural grasses and a shortage of store cattle accounts for the under-stocking.
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§ Mr. J. Morrisonasked the Minister of Food what proportion of the 700,000 acres acquired by the Queensland British Food Corporation has ample surface water available; what proportion is dependent on bores; what sum has so far been spent on providing water facilities; and what is the average interval between the authorising of a boring and its completion.
§ Mr. WebbThe breeding property of some 233,000 acres is almost entirely naturally watered. The remaining 500,000 acres of the Corporation's properties depend mainly for their water on bores, wells and excavated catchment tanks. About£17,000 has so far been spent on additional water facilities; the interval between the authorising of a boring and its completion varies considerably according to the type of rock met during drilling and an average figure would have no practical significance.
§ Mr. George Craddockasked the Minister of Food if he can now make a statement of an interim character concerning the pig and cattle development by the Queensland-British Food Corporation.
§ Mr. WebbThe Corporation are building up to their present objective of three pig units, and one range breeding unit. The latest report indicated that they have 2,730 pigs. The Corporation have about 23,000 cattle and do not expect to increase this number for the time being. Despite the dry conditions the cattle are doing well on the sorghum stubble and the restored grassland.