The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-01

n
graphic communication New South Wales /,
greatly in advance Of the other colonies hsy.
ing 11.23l miles Of line against $3.50 in
Queensland, 8.oJS In Victoria and b8p3 in
South Australia, through whose territory run,
the transcoutinental line. The apereoe,.
length Of telegraph line In Australia lie AZ. 5ns
miles, and the total length OF railway line 4.
1880 miles. To the last nam ed total Victori.
contributes > 783 miles. New South Walls,
2.2U3; Queensland. ?. ip5: New Zealand. | Aj0
and South Australia. which il to run an iron
road across the continent 1929 miles.
| Il.
As regards the prospects Of New South w.l..
the author deems II probable that the next flaw
| years will see great changes in the svstsm Of
| land occupation. Thus far all attempts 10 in.
duce the mass Of the neople to settle on small
areas have failed. Tho results Of even IN.
most liberal inducements offered by lavRiysr.
have been insignificant. and the flocks OF .
semi-nomad. pastoral population have monop.
olized the greater part OF the country But It /,
| pointed out that the continually falling valu.,
| Of meat and wool and the incurslons OF rab.
bits are rendering q modification OF exist.
| ing methods OF turning the land to nc.
| count imperative. and II Is impossible IA
| forecast the effect OF the change on the social
organization when II comes. Hitherto a thinlv
populated but wealth. producing interior has
supported a relatively enormous agpreeation
OF people in the capital city. who are engaged
in pursuits not directly productive. Whom
therefore. stock-raising on the present system
succumbs. as In the authors opinion II must
sooner or later. to better methods Of utilizing
the SOIL the army OF agents and middlemen OF
all sorts who are now dependent on the mas.
toral industry will have to find new avenue.
for the employment Of their energies. Tn.
present distribution OF settlement In New
South Wales may be exemplined by the fact
that estates OF upward OF 10000 acres each
constitute nearly 81 per cent. OF the occupied
area, while estates OF from 1 to 30 acres repre-.
sent only quarter OF one per rent
Mr.. Tregarthen thinks that the people OF
Victoria, apart from the recklessness Of some
Of their financial operations. public and pri-
vato. have shown CONNIE ndable ENTERPRISE in
the development OF the wonderful natural re-
sources Of their country. When the returns
from the gold fields fell of. great proportion
OF the diRgers resumed their previous occupa-
lions: many became permanent settlers and be.
gan the cultivation ofthe SOIL The rich tracts
which won for the colony the name Australia
Felix. are now In large part under the plough.
Much has also been done to bring tho I'M
watered portions OF the territory into use BY
means OF irrigation. and Victoria il distin-
guished as the first member OF the Australian
group to institute q public system OF water
conservation and distribution on a large scale.
1t 10 admitted that the extensive works UNDER
taken for this purpose may be son ewhat In
advance OF the present necessities OF the COLI
ony. but the author has no doubt that In time
TO come Victoria. owing to the fertility Of ito
soil. the wealth OF its mineral deposits and
the energy OF its Inhabitants. will maintain
the position which II now occupies as one OF
the two foremost Of Australian States.
From tho chapters devoted to Queensland II
10 clear that this colony also became intoIi-
Gated with its own prosperity and plunged
headlonE into extravaganza in its public ex-
penditure. But. although this course has been
followed by the usual reaction. the natural re-
sources OF the country are 40 extra ordinary
that the depression Is pronounced unlikely to
be OF long duration. or to seriously dim the
promise OF the future. In all kinds Of material
development Queensland has made remark
able progress. and through liberal land laws
and State-assisted immigration the population
has been rapidly increased. Attention is d.
rected to the agitation which has been for
some time on foot In favor of q division OF the
huge territory. 1t is hoped that in this way
may be averted the friction which the connlct-
ing interests OF the northern and southern
sections must, under existing arrange
ments inevitably produce. 1t In we'll known
that In North Queensland such products
as cotton andn sugar can be successfully
grown. provided cheap labor 10 obtanabls.
Chinese were tried. but proved unsatis-
factory; after which the planters con-
ceived the idea OF bringing laborers from tho
South Sea islands. This system soon led not
only to kidnapping but to all the abuses which
formerly attended tho indenturing OF white
convicts In the British West Indies. Public
opinion finally compelled the Queensland
Legislature to regulate the island labor
trafflc. The PolynesiAn Laborers' act. besides
fixing the term Of service and the minimum Of
pay. provided that no Kanakas. as the island
ers are called. should be brought into the
colony. unless the Captain OF the vessel could
produce document. signed By some response
BILE person. to the effect that the lsborers
brought By him had been shipped without
compulsion. The law was not always enforced
and It could be evaded; nevertheless there 10
evidence that the abuses have been mitgated.
an unmistakahle sign OF improvem emit being
that islanders. who have served q term In
Queensland. now very often reengaKe when an
opportunity offers. and bring with them their
friends and relations.
HI.
The history OF South Australia is compare
lively uneventful. OF its copper mines We
nave SPOKEN koiu also. mas pecn uisco'oiou
within its borders. but not In sufficient guam
titles to affect Its destiny to an appreciate or
tent. Agriculture has steadily progressed.
and. although the yield OF wheat is light per
acre the cost OF clearing and preparing the
soil for tillage IL proportionately small. and
the South Australian harvest affords annually
/ large surplus OF breadstuffs for expectation
10 Europe and the other colonies The eapA'
bilities OF South Australia are far greater than
were once supposed. Much OF the country be-
tween Adelaide and Port Darwin. which was
formerly assumed to bs.Absolutsly sterile. has
proved to be not unsuitable for pastoral pur-
poses. while many OF tho rivers which now
INTO the Gulf OF Carpentaria are bordeTsd "
rich slluyial flats which. doubtless. one day
will be covered with cotton and sugar Pls .,S
lions. Mr.. TrsgAIthen mentions cursorllJ me
forrsns System Of State registration and IN
,uranee Of land titles which was hrsi lnuG-
1uced In South Australia and atterWaTd adolt-
ID by other colonies. We wish he "oud hats
'ound spaeS TO give q detailed exposition OF
-. 49,. a asaff ha