The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-04-16 00:00:00

AN INVITING COLONY.

As the que*tion of Emigration Is now engressing public
attention, and as so many are leaving the mother country to
seek their fortunes in far-off lands, the following brief sketch
of the Colony of Victoria, lrom the Melbourne Argus, may
afford Inform•tion to intending emigrants, which may be
the means of inducing them to select this Colony —• climate
seemingly all that could be deered—forthelrfuture home:—

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The colony of Victoria covers an area nearly as
large 92 that of Great Britain, and contains a popula-
tion of only 700.000 persons. The climate resembles
that of the south of Spain and the south of Italy, the
mean temperature being about 58 degrees. Frosts are
of rare occurrence, and snow never Win except upon
table lands or the mountains. Of the 55,500,000 acres
of land comprised within the limita of the colony,
nearly .19,000,000 acres remain in the possession of the
Crown ; and under the Land Act just passed any
person can select not exceeding 520 acres of this land
in any part id the colony, under extremely favourable
conditions—that is to say, by residing upon and im.
proving the allotment selected the occupant will be
called upon to pay no more than 2s. per acre rental
for three years, at the expiration of which time he
will be allowed to become the owner of it on payment
of 14s. per acre.
The products of the soil in this colony are wheat,
oats, barley, hops, tobacco, and the usual root crops.
All the fruits and vegetables which flourish in Great
Britain arrive at great perfection in Victoria, with
the addition of oranges, lemons, and loquats. The vine-
yards of the colony produce wines resembling in cha-
racter those of Germany, France, Spain, Hungary,
Italy, arid Madeira. In time, when both the vines and
the wines shall have attained greater maturity, there is
every probability that they will meet with an active
demand in England and India. As it is, they are
rapidly superseding imported wine, beer, and spirits
in general vonsumption among the population.
According to the census of 1861, 25 per cent, of the
people were engaged in mining, 10 per cent, in agri-
culture, 10 per cent, as artisans and mechanics, 10 per
cent, in trade, 4 per cent. 28 labourers, and 10 per cent.
receiving instrinition. On education the State annually
expends £133 000; there in no township or village of
any importance without its school•house. According
to the latest returns, there were 834 schools in opera-
tion, and 119,645 children had attended them during
the year.
A trunk line of railway runs from Melbourne to the
northern le ,undary of the colony at Echuca ; another
proceeds lid Geelong to Ballarat, the second town of
importance ; a third is about to be constructed to
Beeehworth, near the north-eastern boundary of Vic-
toria; a fourth is being surveyed to Hamilton, the
centre of an agricultural district in the west; and a
fifth has been projected to Gipps Land, which may be
called the garden of the colony, in the south-east.
When these lines are completed ready access will be
obtained to the most fertile districts of the country,
as well as to those which abound in mineral treasures.
For skilled labour—as, for example, that of artisans
engaged in the building trade—the rates of wages
range from Be. to 10s. per diem, the workieg day con-
sisting of eight hours. Occupations such am those of
mechanical engineers, demanding higher qualifications
and special aptitude, are still more liberally remune-
rated. Working miners are paid 50a, per week, and
day labourers receive 6.1. a day. Farm labourers earn
from 10s. to 40s. per week, besides their board and
lodging. Domestic servants obtain from £2O to £4O
per annum.
The necessaries of life are cheaper in Victoria than
In England. Meat i from lid. to 43. per pound;
bread, 61. to 71 the 41b. loaf ' • butter, Is. 14. to Is.
3d. per pound; cheese, Bd. to lOci. per pound; milk,
61 per quart; groceries of all kinds Sc reasonable as
in the mother country, and articles of wearing apparel
at much the cams prices as these current in London.
Many working men own the houses they occupy,
while the fact that the revenue of the aoo and odd
friendly societies in Victoria exceeds £BO,OOO, and that
the available assets a•nount to something like £120,000,
is a striking testimony to the prosperity and the
prudence of a 'arm section of the population. Pros
digionn as is the sum total of the gold exported from
the colony between the years 1851 and 1870, it would
fall fat short of the value of the real and chattel pro-
perty held by thes handful of people constituting the
population of "Victoria, and created by their industry
and Ail!, co-operating with the bonnty of nature.
The mere enumeration of the live stock on farms
and stations will probably convey to English readers
a tolerably vivid idea of the colony's provisional re-
sources. They consist of 143.934 horses, 181,854 much
cows, 571,828 other cattle, it 756.819 sheep, and 137,206
pigs. There are upwards of 1,700 churches or school-
rooths teed for divine worship in Victoria, and the
members of all religion!, denominations are equal in the
eye of the law. At present the State assists them in
building churehes and maintaining their ministers to
the extent of £50,000 per annum, but this suhehly will
eno.t likely be comtnuted or generally withdrawn.
The avenues to political power are open to all, and
four Chief Secretaries have been men who were the
architects of their own fortunes, and made their way
to the front by force of character. The principle of
self-government is interwoven with the whole frame-
work of society. ; and political, municipal, social and
industrial life is rapidly becoming assimilated to the
best aspects of life in Old England.