THE AUSTRALIAN PROVINCES.

MR. MANx appears to have left England in 18:31, and to have finally settled in Van Diemen's Land. lie has also visited New South Wales, Port Philip, and South Australia ; the last, we should think, on his homeward voyage. His book consists of rather an ela- borate description of Van Diemen's Land, a less full account of New South Wales, a still shorter one of South Australia, and a passing notice of Port Philip. The " Account of New Zealand," spoken of in the titlepage, is a short and commonplace description of the country, taken from YATES'S book, with a parcel of letters from native converts, extracted from the same author.

In his prethce, Mr. :MANN observes, "I have stated nothing re- specting these countries which has not passed under my own obser-

vation, or which I cannot prove by the most indisputable authority.' The book, however, has little of the raciness of original observa- tion, or the interest of a personal narrative. The principal portion of the filets are taken from statistical returns, colonial newspapers, or documents equally accessible to those who make it their busi- ness to seek them ; and the most stirring adventures of the author are his losing himself in the centre of Adelaide city, which he mis- took for a wood, and being chased by a bull at the foot of Mount Lofty. The rest of the volume consists of opinions, which may or may not be correct. From many of them, however, we arc strongly disposed to dissent—not only from their intrinsic discordance, but from the character of the writer's mind ; which, naturally somewhat narrow, has not been expanded by being occupied with the feuds of a small community. Mr. MANN is an opponent of the sale of land to emigrants, and a friend to the continuance of transportation ; because the new- fangled systems, he alleges, will destroy the prosperity of the old Australasian colonies. The sale of land, he says, deters emi- grants from coming thither ; the non-continuance of transportation will cut off the supply of labour. In this logically vicious argu- ment, the reader may perceive a mind that cannot connect two propositions together. Worked according to the plan of its in- ventor, the sale of land supplies labour, and that in as near a pro- portion to the demand as the fluctuations of human society will permit any principle to attain in practice. By laying out the whole purchase of the land in paying the passage-money of emigrant labourers, the supply of labour is proportioned to the soil about to be taken into cultivation. And that labour is supplied in the most advantageous way, by selecting young married couples for cost-tree emigration ; not only giving the colony labourers in the prime of life, but of a class which must inevitably increase population. Analyzing Mr. Maxi's facts and reasons, where he happens to adduce either one or the other, it would, however, appear that his objection really applies to Lord liowicit's administration of the principle, rather than to the principle itself—to the putting-up the land to auction at a low upset price, instead of letting any one purchase at a fixed sum per acre—" first come first served"— according to Mr. WAKEFIELD'S suggestion. But even Lord Howiex's auction is better than the old plan of grants, upon Mr. MANN'S own showing. A person anxious to purchase, says he, (speaking of' New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land,) examines a -district, pitches upon a lot likely to suit him, has it surveyed, put up to auction, and finds himself' competed with by vain persons who wish to increase their estates, or keep off new settlers—by jobbers, who will buy the land over his head, specu- lating upon his judgment *— or by A sharks," who bid against him to extort a bribe for silence. That fresh emigrants may suffer some inconvenience from the cap?* de corps of old settlers, is possible ; that public competition may raise the price of lands beyond what the intended purchasers approve of, or that proximity to a rich man's property will give an artificial value to certain land, is very likely ; but what of that ? Competition is always inconvenient to those competed with : and was there no inconvenience under the system of free grants ? could an emigrant get any land without

interest, and without currying flivour with the Government officers ? Hit be a hardship to compete in an open sale against a long purse, it was a greater hardship to have to contend against the concealed opposition of the Colonial employes and all their friends and hangers-on ; and. it' a new comer, who selects his land near the estate of an old and rich colonist, cannot get it for money, would

he stand a better chance of getting it for nothing, against all the interest that would be brought. to bear? That no public injury can

ensue, is obvious upon the thee of the argument. Capital is not so plentiful in new colonies, that men will systematically lock it up in

• This is now stopped; the land is put up to auction, suppressing the name dills person.

land from vanity ; and if they speculate either on their own or another's judgment, they intend to bring it into the market again, for money is too valuable to keep long lying dead. But if evil . of this kind should ensue, it must be because the upset price of Government is too low at 5s. per acre.

Mr. MANN, all unconsciously too, shows another source of evil, arising from the system of grants of land and the continuance of transportation, by the facilities in jobbing they furnish to the Governor and all put in authority under him. Like other people connected with the Colonies, Mr. MANN complains bitterly against the Colonial Office, as well as against Governor ARTHUR whom, in addition to public faults, he charges with making a private fortune by means of his official opportunities. After a long account of the names and sales of his properties, he continues—" It is ad- mitted on all hands that the Colonel was a poor man when he went out to the colony, where he was imprudently permitted to re- main for twelve years ; during which he amassed property calcu- lated to be worth one hundred thousand pounds." Where neither public opinion nor private honour restrains men from using their official means for sordid purposes, it is very difficult to prevent them; but if any one system more than another is calculated to tempt and facilitate such practices, it is an unlimited power to dispose of land and labour—the elements of wealth. Mr. Mays, indeed, may say that he would have a perfectly proper system of' granting ; but how is lie to get it ? Regulate how you will as to forms, the powers of giving at all, and of giving to particular individuals, must always rest with the Colonial authorities.

One point which he raises in the course of his argument, is perhaps worth attention, though the evil applies just as much to grants as to sales. It is the custom, he says, for persons, when they are permitted, to take their lots in an oblong form along the course of water, by which means, in a country like New South Wales, all the back land is rendered valueless. lie suggests that the banks of rivers' lakes, &c. should always be reserved as public

it

property, so that all the settlers of a district should have access; which would also require the reservation of a right of way. Our author is a bitter enemy to South Australia ; predicting its ruin' and that it will lapse to the Crown for want of the requisite number of inhabitants, notwithstanding the vicious system of' selling lands was introduced into the other colonies in order to bolster it up. Except old, or general statements, the only reason he alleges is, that it has not yet grown any corn, with the ex- ception of two experimental patches, which he went to see, and which were very bad.

Leaving controversy, we will close by taking from Mr. MaNst's pages a few extracts, where he presents the results of his observa- tion.

TILE PRECURSOR or IMPROVEMENT.

Cattle may be justly called the pioneers of emigration : they discover the best pasture and water ; they also serve to drain the soil in marshes : on the hanks of rivers their deep tracks arc filled up by each successive flood with alluvial deposit, which, being again trampled down by their footsteps, becomes hard, which raises the banks of the stream so high that they ultimately confine it within its proper bed, which is deepened daily until it becomes of sufficient depth to carry of the water: they also improve the quality of both soil and grass.

TURNIPS OF VAN DI .MEN'S LAND.

There is no climate or soil better cairiti ited to grow turnips and cm sheep than Van Diemen's Land. 1 have seen turnips, grown on the ferns of Mr. Bransgrove, on the banks of the Tamar, upwards of forty pounds weight, quite solid and close inside ; and it has this peculiar advantage, that from the mild- ness of the climate, the turnips are never frost-bitten, and when even partly eaten by the sheep, they do not rut or become useless, as they do in less-fa- voured. climates. At present the farmers here have too great a range of pasture for their flocks, to turn their attention generally to folding ; but as po- pulation becomes more dense, they will be compelled to recur to it : and it is the opinion of many intelligent farmers, that they could rear more sheep in this way, and feed them better, than by the present mode; and at the same time have mach better crops of wheat and other farm produce.

That is, they should concentrate, instead of disperse.

TILE REAL SIIACKLES OF TIIE PRESS—PRINTERS WANTED.

Nothing shackles the liberty of the press so much in the Australian Colonies as the want of free printers and compositors : many political misdeeds are winked at, lest the convict pressmen should be withdrawn from the conductors of the press by the Government. There are eighteen newspapers published in the Australian provinces, exclusive of Almanaeks, Annuals, and Magazines. Some of these journals are published twice a week, and some books—such, for instance, as the Pickwick—have h.. en republished in Launceston; so that sober rompositors emigrating to the Colonies need not fear procuring immediate em- ployment. The wages are generally two guineas a week ; some, I believe, have more. Bat the great bane of the Colonies is drunkenness; labour of all kinds being so high, that a man can earn as much in three days as will support him in idleness and inebriety the remaining three of the week ; but if of sober, in- dustriqus habits, he cannot fail of obtaining a competence, and may by per- severance ultimately arrive at affluence.

A HINT TO EMIGRANTS.

I would not advise any in eliding emigrant to take out wooden houses to any of these Colonies: they will east as much for setting up as the first cost-price. A good tent, well lineti with green letize, a camp-bed, a spring-cart with a good steady horse, a few cooking-utensils, a double-barrel gun, a -kangaroo dog and pinter, with a fishing-rod, should uomplete the establishment of all early set tler. Thus equipped, he may travel front one end of New Holland to the other with his flocks and herils and a few stockmen ; and if his neighbour drive his stock to the right, be may take to the left ; for there need be no strife between them, there being room and scope enough for all the emigrants

that may go there for many years to come. •

Time and success will give an interest to this account of the present

PUBLIC BUILDINGS OF ADELAIDE.

The public buildings are few, and simple in their construction, as must be expected in a colony so recently formed. The Government house, or rather cottage, has three small window.; in front, and is thatched with reeds. It is distinguished from the other cottages by having the royal colours flying near

it. The church is built of stone and lime, and does credit to the piety of the first settlers, as it has been finished in as good style as could be expected in the early stage of colonization.

The General Post-office is an unpretending edifice, built of turf, lined with sun-dried brick about half-way up the side-wall, which is about six feet high; the house being sixteen feet long by ten feet wide, thatched with reeds. It is surrounded by a row of empty flour-barrels, which, for greater security, are placed one over another in the rear. A single window, about three feet by one and a half, turns on a hinge, to answer the double purpose of receiving letters and allowing the Postmaster-General to pop out his head to oversee flour and biscuit weighed from the Commissariat stores, which are placed obliquely on his left. SOME OF GOVERNOR ARTHUR'S WORKS.

Much of the late improvements about Hobart Town are due to the private

?speculations of Colonel Arthur, who, during his Governorship, purchased a ace from Parson Knopwood, called Cottage Green, on Sullivan's Cove, where he recommended the Government to erect new wharfs and quays, ou which the revenue of the country was lavishly expended. He also purchased a farm from Mr. Jocelyn Thomas, the treasurer, called the Marsh Farm ; nearly opposite to which he erected a causeway, familiarly called the Bridgewater Folly, on which large sums of the public money were also expended. He also made a road to another of his estates, called Carrington, commonly called the Carrington Cut.

It is a curious topic of reflection to see how the usages of Great Britain arc spreading over the world, and how short a space of time, comparatively, they take to spring up. Whilst the settle- ments founded hundreds of years ago by the Spaniards, Portuguese, and French, are stationary, or almost retrograding, the colonies of' Great Britain have already many of the facilities ofa mother-country. We have seen the activity of the press in Australasia. There are twelve steam-boats belonging to Sydney, and employed in trade ; Hobart Town communicates twice a week with Launceston, a distance of 120 miles, by a mail and two stages ; and a coach runs daily to New Norfolk. Here is an account of the public buildings of respective capitals of the two Convict Colonies.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS OF SYDNEY.

It contains two Episcopalian churches, and one building ; one Scotch church, ne Seceders' church, one Roman Catholic chapel, two NWesleyan chapels, one Independent chapel, and one Quakers' meeting-house ; five banks of issue and deposit, with a capital of 1,730,0001.; one savings bank ; two assurance com- panies; one agricultural company ; one gas-light company ; one tire and life assurance company; three breweries, and two distilleries.

HOBART TOWN

Contains nineteen streets, two wharfs or quays, and 1,500 houses ; two Episcopalian churches, and one building ; one Scots church, one Seceders' meeting-house, two Wesleyan chapels, one Independent eleyel, one Baptist chapel, and one Roman Catholic chapel ; five banks of i:sue and deposit, and two savings banks.