The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1923-05-25

cult as it might be in the American
South if no black labor were avail
able. During the American Civil war,
when cotton was scarce in the world
markets and the price high, Queens
land found ii profitable to grow the
textile. After the price fell ii was
even possible TO keep the industry
alive so long as Kanaka labor from
the South Sea islands was to be had.
But when these black laborers were
deported cotton growing, never really
important, practically died out.
There has been n certain parallelism
in the development of Australia and
situated roughly like the Appalachians,
extends parallel with the eastern coast
from 80 to 100 miles inland. In this
favored strip the first settlements
were made, and for many years
nothing was known about the region
to the west. over behind its noun.
tains Queensland has a great plains
region like that Of the United States.
1t is in that portion of Queensland
that Australians great cattle industry
centerS. The huge ranches-called
"stations'-cover thousands of acres
like those in the American Southwest,
and of the 100000 cattle on the
continent about half are In Queens
land.
Cattle raising Is the really dOmi.
nant industry Of Queensland and has
had its effect on the economic side OF
the governmental machinery. There
are s~tate-operated cattle ranches,
state abattoirs and ever retail meat
shops run by the state. The state
goes still farther into the matter of
food distribution by operating fisher.
les and conducting retail fish stores.
State Owns Most Of tho Land.
The pioneer age is not past in
Queensland, despite it's we'll developed
southern coast region. Over the noun
tains to the west and northwest In
the tropical country pioneers are still
carving out n new country and bring
ing it under fence or plOw. The state
still Owns staggering areas Of land.
Only about 6 per cent Of the states
total area has been alienated or Is In
process Of alienation. And Queens.
land means to hold on to the greater
part Of this public domain forever.
The policy has been adopted in recent
years of merely leasing the soil. The
only exception is in the case Of the
"prickly pear" regions, where small
tracts are given outright TO settlers In
return Of the eradication Of this stub
born cactus pest.
Brisbane, the capital Of Queensland,
a town nearly as large as Atlanta, Ga,
is on the coast near the southern line
Of the state, and so is in n region OF
relatively mild climate. It's latitude
compares closely with that Of Tampa,
Fla. Semi-tropical flowers and fruits
make possible charming settings. But
Brisbane cannot claim beauty. Though
this is country In which white ants
are numerous and destructive, wood
seems TO be the favorite building ma
terial. And many Of the smaller
buildings are rooted with u~nsightIy
corrugated iron. The river which
runs through the city is lined with
packing plants and factories.
How far Queensland has swung It's
governmental pendulum is shown by
the fact that 1t was one Of the two
states Of the Australian common
wealth i'm which the senate or upper
house had members elected for life by
the British crown There was thus In
existence a sort Of colonial blouse Of
Lords" The members Of the single
chamber which Is left in Queensland
are elected and the state, without a
conservative balance-wheel," becomes
the most democratic OF the common
wealth's units.