The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-07-16

are developed, and. vhils repussdiy w.llowing IN
wealth, We b'gin % sesi that We arc really pnched
vita poverty. II y In this direction that we must
lock Tor the general causes Of our depression
Excessive imports, upon which 80 much stress u
laid, may account Ter much, but not for all.
SOCIAL CONDITION.
we cannot report any improvement In the SOCIAL
ordition Of the colony doIiog the six weeks that
have elapsed since our previous summary. If there
has been any Grange, II has been very slight, and
not for the betteF-the tendency being still DOWN
ward. The prospects, Of immigrants have not I'm
proved. Those who have recently landed hAve
found II impossible to procure renunerasive en-
ployment in Melbourne; and % for commencing
BUSH ess, that il completely ont OF the question:
ehol keeping il at . discount, and, in point Of
fsct, Ia almost sealed up a. source OF profitable
employment, for either capital or industry; for.
when there 10 an immense surplus Of mere ira
deYs In proportion to the general community,
lowest ebb BY continuous glut of Imports, and
where few even Of those VINO were 10 business
during the full flush Of the first gold days, are
able TO keep their qrouGd, 1t Is clear that
beginner. With respect TO labor in general, we shall
hardly be xasgeratirg the real stare Of the CASE IL
to stats broadly that there 10 at present no
possibility Of employment in the ci;y for any new
conner, whether srtisan or manual lab0rer, and that
the great oity of those classes here are not EN-.
ployed Almost sll building in .he city s suspend
ed and the evid Of activity in other trades are
etrikiugly few. In the suburbs and outlying dig
tricts there much greater signs OF activity In
the Sc lines; bus what the intending emigrant SHOULD
particularly note is that there is not demand i0r
his labor, Of whatever description 1t may be. We
are speaking Of Melbourne 1t the present moment;
but as Ne are en- the verge Of winter, and as en-
plOyment tere s always lefs plentiful 10 winter than
in summer, it should be also noted that improve
nent In the labor market is to be expected Tor at
least six months to come.
Wivh e., wa IN n
course able to speak from personal experiences; but
we gather from the local j,u 81 ais and other quar-
tiers, that, tn the exception OF agricultural labor
ers. there is lOwheIe any considerable demsnd for
For the newly arrived immigrant there remains,
therefore, L0 resource but disgng IA occup eion OF
which 1t 10 not low ne cessary to give detailed da-
scrption. We believe It may be safely asserted that
any energetic man, capable Of the labor, and willing
to submit to oil the con ditiops Of the oggers life,
may make certain OF gaining living at least at the
god fields with the chance of something very baud
some "turDiDg up" for him some day. But at the
same time it should be stated that, at many Of the
Aelos and especially at Baarat, the system of deep
sinking is now extensively carried cut. 6aafts Rre
suIk to depth Of two hundred feet, and Of course
this process involves combined labor, great energy,
and considerable capital In order to make Il pay.
TIE individual who Is not able to enter on the work
Of geld seeking on 90 large scale, Is compelled 50
keep to the old methods Of shatlow sinking and
surface wsshings. The dggings being the great
resource OF the unemployed, there has lately bsen
very large migration to them; and during the
coming winter the numbers employed at them will
be much larger than it has ever been before.
As the result Of continued depression In trade, in
solvepcies and defalcsso are still frequent and,
what IL even more disastrous, general distruss pre-.
walls. Indeed, 1t is very striking to remark what
many persons who were once deemed the most for
bought property when IL had risen t, fictitious
value have invariably been heavy losers; and those
49, Al,o~s AkaA
trtmely advantageous terms have also suffered
heavily. For example:-a mercantile firm took
leasef 2 Piece of ground In the city ct ground
rent Of ESQ yeas and built store on i 81 c'st
self brings now only q rant Of $500 a-year. Again:
another mercantile man built a large splendid
warehouse and stocked 1t sgely in the very dear
est times, and became bar krupt for fl2O,0O0 just
when his plans were completed. Yet that gentle.
man had certain capital If very large amount be-
fore he commenced building. Agail:-A builder
secured numerous good vacant spots In business 81.
tua,ions at what he deemed low ground rents,
and borrowed money largely to build stores on
them, which, when completed, let readily at enor.
NOUS rente but In q few months the rents fel, 30
much, that in most cases even the ground rents
could not be obtained-and thus what seemed q
mos: lucrative Investment turned out runous one
Many merchants, also, who made up their affairs
twelve months sgo, aud retired to England to live
upon their incomes, drawn from their property here
have been summoned back to flad tneir affairs in
anything but fourishDg cor dition; in some cases
indeed, to all but actual insolvency. Others, who
invested large sums Of money In land, intending to
hold, until ell possibility Of gaining snythiag near
the price they paid had gone forever; and, mean
time land 80 held is OF things the most hume iiatsly
worthless. Other persons who invested their savings
In land, ane were obliged to leave balance Of say one
four purchase money unpaid have been after.
wards compelled to part vita the entire property In
order to clear Oh that remsir der Of debt Numerous
other instances OF q similar kind might be cited;
hvyf Ia SVfEN nytf oh "a
exhibit the VI certainty and the fluctuations Of co.
lonial ife especially In gold co3ny, and to show
that even the most energetic aud sagacious men
are net able to cave themselves from toe effects OF
them. Some Of the sleculations which &c emed to
be the most fortunate that could be entered on two
years ego, and which for while were actually
lucrative in high degree, have after yards ruined
these who undertook them. So toat, in q certain
serse, Ii is true that enterprise and foresight have
proved, TO some men, disastrous qualities.
In the cost OF living there is 10 change Of impor.
tancc TO 10 noted, except that rents still declin
ing. Business premises are prCcurabe at one d
or one-.ourth Of what they fetched in the dearest
tines, and private dwellings, have faliea about
one half-so that q man can now procure such o
shop or store for fs week, as In lergs Eaglish
town would be thought dear st f2 q week; aud a
cottage that would bring about flO q year
at home, may be had for CO l0.. q week ia tue
suburbs of Me.bcu ne. This is not ex sgsera ted;
osngto the undue preponderan Of the city
over the rural population, (the reyult'of our odous
land aysem) there is 81 wass arge dispro aortiol
between rent end the other expenses OF living. As
genera Iule, rent aoeorbs one third of the earn
legs OF a man Ia fall WORK, ana well paid.
Ibere are symptoms OF advancement in educa-
tionsl and religious appliances, noiwithsta nd,ng
the general depression. 1888 With resp set
to primary e6ucation-whch is the kidd required
heie.,here is disposition 70 encourage it very
literally, AMI large for that purpose ara yot ID
freely BY the Council. A nrooosal to combine the
national and denominstional systems in ons system
better tnan either, has been made In the Council,
and will soon me on for discussion.
Plecss Of worship for various denominations arc
rising in many localiies especially at the diggn ~
and fresh supplies OF ministers arc const sntly az.
irving ON England. . So
Occasionally, howevsr, occurrences take place
which reveal a shocking state Of de noraliz A.ion
AMONGST large numters Of the population. A muir