June 1950 School Magazine

June, 1950

Brisbane Girls ' Grammar School Magazine

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

June, 1950

THE BIRD He soars across the summer sky, feeling soft breezes ·pass beneath his downy body. The open air is his fr~e home. In that warm paradise he may roam where he wrl l. A gay greeting to a fe llow bird is the only sound heard near him. He flutt ers and res ts happily on a high branch and looks, laughing, down to the earth below him. The world is his servant. At his will, those priceless wings may enable him to reach any spot on the earth's surface. He is master o f space ! Then, suddenly , a shot rings out ! The panting _body fails to the grass underneath the tree, a n ugly wound m the soft breast. No more will life stir in that crumpled frame. His life is ended. - JILL FARRAR, Form III. A.

THE CITRUS INDUSTRY OF GAYNDAH Citrus growing is one of the major rural industries of the Gayndah district. Its development and progress have been meritorious and spectacular, for although the area is subject to more severe drought conditions than coasta l districts, the waters of the Burnett River and its subsidiary creeks provide adequate insurance against extreme conditions. In order to make full use of the water, most orchards are equipped with necessary p lant and pumping machinery. These conditions are ideal for the production of oranges, mandarins, lemons and grapefruit, and these grow to perfection. The bulk of the fruit is marketed in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne but some is distributed to a ll parts of Australia and overseas. A consignment of ora:nges sent to Ch ina prior to the second World War arrived in excel!ent condition and mandarins and oranges shipped to Singapore in 1947 were much sought after and highly commended by buyers. Over the past fifteen years, the citrus industry has made considerable progress, and new orchards coming into bearing have added greatly to the output which in 1947 was approxi- mately three thousand tons of fruit, all of which was trans- ported by rail from the various stations a nd sidings in the district. After the fruit is p icked, it is sized by machine, graded, wrapped in tissue paper and expertly packed in standard cases which are machine wifed and labelled. It is then trans- por ted to rail by motor vehicle, then bulk-loaded into trucks and transported by rail to market. Prices up to five shillings a dozen have been realised. Since 1920, a strong growers' organisation has been oper- ating in the interests of the g rower. It has been of much assistance in supplying his needs, finding markets and adver- tising the luscious quality of the fruit. It has staged exhibits at the Queensland Royal National Exhibition and has annexed the citrus shield eleven times out of twelve. Unfortunately, the public must pay high prices while costs of production remain high. The cost of transport of growers' requirements from far southern s tates is a major problem con- fronting the industry and it is fe lt tha t Queensland should cease to be so independent on these states for the manufacture and distribution of so many commodities essential to rural indus tries in this State. Meanwhile, citrus growers in the Gayndah district will con- tinue to grow quality fruit second to none in the Commonweal th. - ELWYNNE MEYER, Form III.C. 35

-B. HOWARD, !V.D.

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