Part 24 (1/2)

In the South Australian Register of the 27th of November of last year, it is stated that a Mr Hunt, one of the auctioneers in Sydney, offered for sale thirteen tons of pure copper ore of colonial ots weighing 80 lbs each; the ore having been smelted by Mr James at Mr Sht in at 80 pounds, the liive the reader soiousthe fourthe 23rd October, 1847, the directors declared and paid three dividends, a to 200 per cent on the subscribed capital, and that the credits of the association on the 30th Septes 8 pence The Burra Burra mine however is not the only one of importance Several others have of late been discovered, and South Australiacountry in every sense of the word, and one in which those profitable interests will rapidly increase

We have hitherto been speaking of the mines of South Australia as the sources of wealth, and as the sudden, if not the remote cause of the prosperity of that province It now becomes our duty to consider how far the discovery of the mines has benefited or interfered with the other branches of industry and sources of wealth; and as regards both these, it must be admitted that their discovery has had an injurious effect The high rate of wages given by the proprietors of mines, not only to the miners, but to all whom they eage with thehout the whole colony, still more severely felt by reason of the previous want of labour in the labour market Every man who could obtain sufficient money to purchase a dray and team of bullocks, hurried to the mines for a load of ore to take to the port, and disdained any ordinary e ore he could earn 6 or 7 pounds in a fortnight The labourer was quite right in going where he received the best remuneration for his services; but the consequences were in many instances fatal to their former employers Many farmers were unable to put in seed or to cultivate their land; ather it, and had it not been for the use of Mr Ridley's machine, the loss in the crops would have been severely felt Not only did the farenerally The want of hands, indeed, was felt by all classes of the coiven by theproprietors to the men they employed, tended still more to depress the laboural labourers to purchase land with the money they were enabled to save As landed proprietors they not only withdrew their labour from the market, but in their turn became employers; but I feel called upon to say at the sa colonies for working hands, where no mines had been discovered, and where they could not therefore possibly have interfered

From what has been said of the province of South Australia, and setting its mines entirely out of the question, the description that has been given of its pastoral and agricultural capabilities, of its climate, and of the prospects of success which present therant, it will naturally be inferred that the impression I have intended to convey is, that, as a colony, it is most peculiarly adapted for a British population, whether rural or other The state of the colony is now such, that the way of the eht before him, for with honesty, sobriety, and industry, he cannot lose it When I stated, in a forive advice, which if followed, and not successfully, ht subject me to the reproach of any one, I referred to those who have si infor considerable, reater With the lower orders--the working classes--the case is different They have not theinformation on these matters, and it becomes the duty of those who can promote their welfare to do so I am quite aware that there are ladly seek a better ho to the spot where they were born, disheartened at the thought of abandoning their hearth, and bound by early recollections to their native country, cannot make up their minds to turn their backs on the companions of their youth, and the haunts of their childhood

Such a feeling undoubtedly clai,--the love of Home,--the belief that they can no where be happier, which has been the strength of England, and has given her sons the heart to love, and the spirit to defend her But the period however, when those feelings were so strong, has passed away,--eneral ones have taken their place, and the circued, that neither hearth nor home have the same attractions; a restlessness pervades the community, and a desire to escape from those scenes, and that spot which they or their forefathers once thought the most hallowed upon earth But two circuration of the rural population in this country, to the Australian colonies, at all events

The one has been an apprehension as to the length and nature of the voyage; the other the expense, more especially to a family man Had it not been for these causes, the Australian colonies would not have had to conorance which prevails in the inland counties as to any n parts, and the littletheir own expenses, has kept theo to that distant part of the world, which assuredly holds out to thehtest prospect, and is most like their own hoe to Australia is as safe as that to New York, that it is far ards the weather, and that little or no sickness has ever thinned the number of those who have ee is certainly greater than that of a passage to the Canadas, or to the United States, but it is to be hoped that the means of transport will soon be at their command I would only in this place offer the remarks I conscientiously think the case requires, as one who, having witnessed the happiness of thousands in the land of which he is speaking, would gladly be instru the way for thousandsbeen both to Canada and the Australian colonies, if I were asked which of the two I preferred, I should undoubtedly say the latter I do not desire to disparage the Canadas by this assertion, for I know that they have advantages in their soil and in the nificence of their rivers beyond coes over our transatlantic possessions, such as her increased distance froland, cannot counterbalance Her clirant is spared the trouble of providing against the severities of a Canadian winter That season passes over his head al a broad sheet of snow, is covered with vegetation Her lands, unencuh, or are so lightly wooded as to resemble a park, rather than a wild and untouched scene of nature Instead of having to toil with the saw and the axe to clear his ground before he can cultivate it, and instead of consu a year's provisions before he can expect any return, he can there run the plough fro a stone or a root to turn its point, and at once reap the produce of the soil These surely are advantages of no ordinary kind, and, if the expense of a voyage to the Australian colonies is greater than that to Aent expenses to which the Canadian or Union erant is put, before he can consider himself as finally settled down, must necessarily exceed those of the Australian

As before observed, the aspect of South Australia, and indeed of lish There, as in England, you see the white-washed cottage, and its little garden stocked with fruit trees of every kind, its outward show of cleanliness telling that peace and comfort are within To sever oneself fro of our fathers, is a sacrifice of no initude, whether we are rich or poor, and the prospects of reward should be bright indeed to compensate for it I conclude that it has been to combat the reluctance in the lower orders to leave their hohly coloured in many instances, have been held out to them, the consequence of which has been that many, whose expectations were excited, suffered proportionate disappointrants Convinced of the injurious tendency of such a practice, and regarding it as a culpable and cruelbeen unavoidable, claim our best sympathies, I should not have said so much as I have done on this i The reader may rest assured that to the sober, the honest, and the industrious, the certainty of success in South Australia is beyond all doubt An individual with these qualities , but he must recollect that this is always a period of anxiety, and the circumstances in which he first finds himself placed, may not coular habits cannot be immediately known, and we seldom alter our condition, even for the better, without some trouble or vexation

I have, in the course of my remarks, infavourable to the views of eiven a preference to South Australia I have done so because I am better acquainted with its condition than with that of either of the other settlements Of it I have spoken as to what I know; but, of the others, to a great extent, from hearsay The character however of those colonies needs no recoricultural capabilities go, I believe Port Phillip to be as fine a district as any in the world The advantages indeed of the Australian colonies must be nearly equal, from the fact that the pursuits of their respective inhabitants are so nearly the saive some parts of the continent a preference over others, but, as points of eration there is little choice The southern portions are not subject to the withering droughts to which parts of the eastern coast are liable, and may be preferred on that account, but still there are districts in New South Wales as unexceptionable as any in Port Phillip or South Australia

It now remains to make some observations on the present state of society in the last-ive a correct picture of it, some notice on that head is required I think too, I am the more called upon to do so, because many very mistaken notions are held of it As in most of Her Majesty's possessions, so in South Australia, the Government officers form a prominent, and I may say, distinct class Colonel Robe, the late Governor of the province, made Government House the seat of the most unmeasured hospitality, which he exercised beyond the point to which there was any public call upon him

His table was covered with every delicacy the season could afford, his wines were of the very best, and there was a quiet but effective ained universal esteely particular in the order and appearance of his establish to complete the comfort of it The number of the colonists who assembled round him occasionally, was from 50 to 60; on more public festive occasions they exceeded 300, and I htest degree from that of similar parties in this country, save that there was less of fore of friendly co a tone to society, and setting an irreproachable example to the coly retired, their salaries are too limited to enable them to follow the exaentlemen, are ever happy to see their friends, but public parties are seldoiven by any of them Prudence indeed calls upon them to refrain from those displays, which they cannot reasonably afford, and the consequence was, that a warmer intimacy existed in their quiet intercourse with each other, than could have sprung from more formal entertainments

The truth is, the salaries of the Government officers, bear no proportion to the means of the majority of the settlers, who have risen into affluence from a combination of circumstances, that have been unprecedented in the history of colonization There are few private individuals in the province, who have not, at one time or other, benefited by some speculation, but I am not aware that any one of the Government officers have any private interests in the colony, if I except the possession of a section or two of land, on which they have built and reside, nor do I know that any of them have allowed a spirit of speculation to interfere with public duties

A or upper classes of society, there are many very estimable persons I do not mention names, but my recollection will bear me back to the many happy days I have spent with the an extended circle of acquaintance could no where, whether aentleard or friendshi+p than in the still limited society of South Australia

Many of the trades succeeded in business, or acquired an independence from their interests in the mines, have retired, and live in suburban residences, which they have built in well selected situations, and with considerable taste Attached to the custoes of one kind or another, and are fond of devoting their Sunday evenings to visiting places in the neighbourhood As regards the lower classes, I do not think there is in any of Her Majesty's possessions, a greater ast the mechanics of South Australia I speak confidently on this head, since I have had verysatisfied me of this fact

There are many societies in South Australia, of which the lower orders areto promote social interests The order of Odd Fellows is prohout all classes which cannot fail of doing good, for the charities of this order are extensive, and it supports a well-attended school

Taking then the lower orders of the province in the aggregate, they lish, both in their habits and principles

In speaking of the upper classes I did not notice a portion of them included under the denorates harshly on the ear, but it conceals ood behind it; they in truth are the stockholders of the province, those in whoreatest interests would have been vested if the , the squatters are young ht their fortunes in distant lands, and carried out with thes of their forefathers With hearts as warm as the clier, and an energy to carry theenerous, and hospitable, the squatters of the Australian colonies are undoubtedly at the head of their respective communities, and will in after days form the landed, as they do now the pastoral interests, fro will be expected that is usually required of an English country gentleman Circumstanced as they are at the presenta solitary life in the bush, and separated by such distances from each other as almost to preclude the possibility of intercourse, they are thus cut off as it were fros that are certainly prejudicial to their future social happiness, but I would fain hope that the tientlemen will see that they have it very much in their oer to shorten the duration of many of the sacrifices they are now called upon to her and to e their attention

The views taken by the late Sir George Gipps of the state of society in the distant interior of New South Wales is perfectly correct, nor can there be any doubt but that it entails evils on the stock-holders themselves which, on an abstract view of the question, I cannot help thinking they have it in their power to lessen, or entirely to remove, when an influx of population shall take place; but, however regular their establishle men, have the same influence over those whom they employ, or the settlers around them, as if they were married; for it is certainly true, that the presence of females puts a restraint on the most vicious, and that wherever they are, especially in a responsible character, they , indeed, that would more conduce to the moral improvement of the settlers, and people around them, than that squatters should permanently fix themselves, and embrace that state in which they can alone expect their homes to have real attractions That they will ultimately settle down to this state there cannot, I think, be a doubt, and however repugnant it may be to them at the present moment to rent lands, on the occupation of which any conditions of purchase is imposed, I feel assured that many of the squatters will hereafter have cause to thank the Secretary of State for having anticipated their future wants, and enabled them to secure permanent and valuable interests on such easy ter in proof of the real anxiety of Earl Grey for the well being of the Australian provinces than the late regulations for the occupation of crown lands

I believe I aulations was penned by Earl Grey himself, and certainly, apart from local prejudices, I aht they evince, and how calculated they are to promote the best interests of the squatters, and the future social and moral improvement of the people under their influence There seeulations an earnest desire to place the stockholder on a sure footing, and to re from the precarious tenure upon which they formerly held property

There is another division of the population of South Australia I have hitherto orants They now number more than 2000, and therefore form no inconsiderable portion of the population of the province These people have spread over various districts, but still live in coes

The Geral and industrious They arded as a portion of the co a due share in the co their assistance on occasions when the united strength of the working classes is required to secure a general good--as the gathering in of the harvest, or such siious observances are superintended by different pastors, all of them very respectable persons The oldest of these is Mr

Kavel, to whoreat confidence, and hold in deserved esteem Many of the Germans have been naturalized, and have acquired considerable property in various parts of the province, but very few have taken to business, or reside in Adelaide as shopkeepers The wo their enerally at an early hour of the , and the loads some of them carry are no trifle Here, however, as in their native country, the women work hard, and certainly bear their fair proportion of labour The houses of the Germans are on the models of those of their native country, and are so different in appearance froeneral style, as to form really picturesque objects There is nowhere about Adelaide a prettier ride than through the village of Kle been the first of the German settlements The easy and unmolested circumstances of these people shouldfrouided to such a country as that in which they noell, and I have no doubt that as a ood fortune, and duly appreciate the blessings of Providence

My anxiety to raise the character of the natives of Australia, in the eyes of the civilized world, and to exhibit theht than that in which they are at present regarded, induces me, before I close these volu evinced by theht, I think, to have this effect and to satisfy the unprejudicedare far fro erroneous, and that, whatever their customs may be, they should not, as a people, occupy so low a place in the scale of huned to them I am quite aware that there have been individual instances of brutality ae life--that they have disgusting custoeful and addicted to theft

Still I would say they have redee qualities; for the first, I would fain believe that the horrors of which they have been guilty, are local; for the last, I do not see that they are worse than other uncivilized races Treachery and cunning are inherent in the breast of every savage

I question, indeed, if they are not considered by the the Australian native to have the most unbridled passions, instances can be adduced of their regard for truth and honesty, that ought to weigh in any general esti, not even Mr Eyre, has seen so ines of the Australian continent as ht have been expected; and no man certainly has had less reason to complain of them If my party has ever been menaced by these people, if we have ever had their spears raised in hundreds against us, it has been because they have been taken by surprise, and have acted under the influence of fear If I had rushed on these poor people, I should have received their weapons, and have been obliged to raisetheo through their wonted ceremonies, and, by pacific demonstrations, hostile collisions have been avoided If I had desired a conflict, the inclination ed without the fear of censure, but I saw no credit, no honour to be gained by such a course, and I therefore refrained I can look back to ines, under a consciousness that I never injured one of them, and that the cause of hu out ofthe reader to excuse me, it is for him, I allow, not for ht I could adduce instances of a regard for justice and honesty that would weigh in favour of the Australian native