We've seen how much water is lost when heavy storms fall on hard, steep country, and Wyangala Dam near Cowra is a great example of using a suitable water catchment.

Both federal and state governments are newly elected and the people who elected them are probably hoping to see real action as guaranteed water and electricity supply are a must in a busy, prosperous Australia.

OUR district is in much better shape than areas to our north and west, but water supplies are causing angst in every instance in both town and country.

The what-if question keeps coming up as the changes in stocking rates, herd and flock composition and new cropping and pasture varieties all need to be discussed and evaluated.

Most rural groups of service authorities are now of little or no profile and many producers have had so many disappointments that they are content to simply hang on and hope.

Membership of rural groups must now be at an all-time low and surely this would be a great time for some of our younger (under 40) country people to drive groups like NSW Farmers, Bathurst Merino Association and Bathurst AH and P.

These groups would love some new, keen helpers and some old stagers might like a well-earned rest.

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MANY favourable comments have been made of the Local Land Services-sponsored livestock confinement feeding drought lot workshops.

The principle of these feeding areas is to prevent livestock from tramping many kilometres across bare paddocks and to remain in small, fenced areas to be hand-fed on a regular basis.

For those who missed the workshops, a call to Brett Littler, 6378 1708, or Sue Street, 6841 6500, will give details of the drought lot system.

THE sheep mulesing debate continues to boil and Blyth studmaster Ron Blyth made a pertinent comment at his recent stud sale.

"It's not a matter of if any more, but when," he said as he referred to the probable cessation of the surgical operation in coming years.

A financial advantage is now apparent for certified non-mulesed wool and some breeders have produced sheep that have much plainer breeches, but we must wonder what course the breeders of heavier cutting, thick skinned sheep would take if the mules operation was barred.

I think many producers would rather breed Dorpers or Australian Whites and eliminate shearing, crutching and flystrike.

ONCE again, Bathurst city and its council did us proud as they hosted a big crowd and one of the best ever Great Races.

Mayor Bob Bourke seemed to be the proudest man in the Central West last Thursday as he strolled along the racing surface at Skyline, carrying the Peter Brock Trophy and being accompanied by several of the leading race drivers.

THERE are a lot of public figures who are prone to talking a lot, but not saying much of any importance.

When highly regarded journalist Peter Austin makes his thoughts known, most of us stop and listen.

In his regular column in The Land newspaper, Peter talks about the loss of members of country communities and how this has bled country towns of their small registered clubs, their sporting teams, their public schools and their church attendees.

He remembers the wool reserve price crash of the late 1980s and recurring droughts since the late 1970s.

I would add the wide comb shearers' strike and the OJD debate that turned a generation away from the sheep industry as they saw people in authority who were too stubborn to admit that they were hopelessly wrong.

CONGRATULATIONS to Rhyannah and Michael Mainwaring on the safe arrival of their little girl Keva. Everyone is doing well.

Congratulations also to proud grandparents Warwick and Robynann Larnach and Colleen of Bathurst and Stephen Mainwaring of Perth.

THE wool market had another volatile week, regaining nearly all last week's losses.

The fine merino wools rose around 30c/kg, the medium merinos around 50c/kg and the broader types around 70c/kg.

Crossbred wools gained around 30c/kg.

The Northern Indicator finished the week on 1576c/kg - up 29c/kg.

The market may settle around these levels for the next couple of weeks as buyers are saying business is becoming more stable.

THE farmer bought two $20 lottery tickets and the lady newsagent wished him luck.

"This way I've got a one in six million chance of a win," he said. "If I stay home and argue with the missus, I don't have any chance of a win."

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"I hate to hear a couple arguing in the shops when I've missed the start and I don't know whose side I'm on," he said.

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HE was worried that his wife was home late again and may be up to mischief, so he texted her four lady friends for news of her whereabouts.

She walked in the door a bit later and said she was held up at work.

The four lady friends each texted back with: "She's O.K. She's still here with me."