The amount of exportation in July, 1844, probably amounts to upwards of £300,000. This I conclude from the natural increase of the sheep, which is generally calculated at one-third of the whole amount, and from the export of tallow, which is likely to be very large, owing to the system of boiling down the surplus stock for the tallow, which is at present largely acted on. It is also likely that there will be increased activity in the export of mimosa bark, that which was sent home last year having realized a high price.
By the annual report of the Commissioners of Crown Lands the number of stock in the Port Phillip district,[1] on the 30th September, 1843, appears to be—
1,404,333 Sheep100,792 Cattle4,605 Horses.
As these returns were obtained from the settlers in July, they do not contain either the autumn or spring lambs of 1843—these probably amount to 400,000; so that taking the lambs and sheep together, about 1,800,000 fleeces have been shorn in the season of 1843-44. There are 820 stations, on which this stock is reared, the revenue derived from which by the government is as follows: —
| 1843. | Estimated for 1844. | ||||||
| Licenses | £8,200 | 0 | 0 | £9,660 | 0 | 0 | |
| Assessment | 6,276 | 16 | 2 | 10,000 | 0 | 0 | |
| £14,476 | 16 | 2 | £19,660 | 0 | 0 | ||
- ↑ In the other districts of New South Wales the return is as follows:—
Sheep. Cattle Horses. Within the boundaries of location 1,596,417 304,386 40,184 Beyond the boundaries „ 1,804,016 491,541 11,796 3,400,513 796,427 51,990
