Graham guardian., 1911-06-02
A FINE COUNTRY
Interesting Description OF sn'
Climate and Resources
of tasmania

EDITOR GUARDIAN: During the
twenty-five months that have been
laboring in the Australian mission
as an l.. ID. S. missionary, | have
found much solace in reading the
interesting columns of your valuable
paper, which is a welcome visitor.
It's real value as local periodical
is, perhaps, more appreciative to
one who is segregated from the peo-
pie and natural environments of that
productive garden, the Gila Valley.
The rstfour months OF my time
was spent in Sydney, the capital
city of Australia with 605,0O in
habitants), while all subsequent
time | have labored in Tasmania
formerly Van Dieman's Land),
known to the colonists as the Gar
den of the Southern Seas Having
the office Of conference secretary,
my labors here have been confined
principally to Hobart (4l,61O inhab-
itants), Tasmania's capital.
Tasmania. though an island, is
one of the six states of the Austral-
ian Commonwealth. Its climate is
ideal. A fair amount of rainfall
quite equally distributed through
out the seasons, no intense cold to
necessitate Information, nor hot
summer nights to deplete one of
their rest after the days work is
done. 1t is in communication with
the mainland by steamer in eighteen
hours.
Agriculture, horticulture, mining
of gold, silver, coal, copper, etc.,
sheep and wool raising, manufactur-
ing of woolen goods and lumber.
are the chief industries.
The Tasmanian apples, which are
grown principally in the southern
part, are favorites of the English,
Australian, South American and
other markets, to which countries
hundreds of thousands Of cases
(bushels) are exported annually.
March, April and May are the busy
seasons Of the apple growers and
merchants, and during these months,
-rd even as late as August, large
steamers ST, f,,;~a ;~a England and other
countries can freque,.. No seeh
pushing their way up the Hoba. :.
harbor to procure its gigantic cargo
of from 10000 to l10, 900 cases each.
Owing to the abundant amount
of rainfall, irrigation is practically
unknown. However, were it other
wise, irrigation would be very un-
practicable because of the rolling.
unlevel condition of the country,
for here the people have not the
privilege as we have of accepting
the plain and rejecting the hillside.
The population of Tasmania is
strictly an English speaking people,
mostly of English descent, a goodly
part having come directly from
England. The Aboriginees. which
were in many respects akin to the
African Negroes, have, by bad
treatment and oppression from the
white settler, long since been utter
ly extinct. They were a savage,
treacherous and degraded race, in
ferior to the American Indians by
far. Although decreasing rapidly
even on the mainland, yet many are
to be found in the backblocks hun
dreds of miles from immediate civil
ization.
Although for some time past. here
in the Tasmanian conference, the
work seemingly has been handicap
ped by the prejudicative character of
the people. Yet by the tenacious
endeavors and labors of the elders
here much of this prejudice has
been allayed, and the people in gen.
eral are beginning to see and to un-
derstand the light and beauties of
the true and everlasting gospel more
readily, and a prosperous future is
evident. Much country work is
done. the elders travelling in pairs
through the country, visiting the
rural districts and settlements.
There are seventy-three members of
the church here.
Wishing success and prominence
to your paper and marked un-
retarded progression to the Gila
valley and inhabitants,
| am yours sincerely,
ELDER THoS. F. FULLER.
250 Bathurst ST., Hobart, !
Tasmania, Australia.
--~Se-