The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 1870.

Dunstan Times, Issue 413, 18 March 1870, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 1870.

Beneath the Tluleof Men entirely JUST the pen is uiGuriEn than theswonn

As the Provincial Council will meet early in April not, it would not be amiss, that we should bestow some attention upon subjects of especial interest to the goldfields. It will ol course bo difficult to say how wo shall by- represented, or what amount of t representation we may enjoy during the coming Session of the Council, but as in all probability we shall have to depend upon cbailee or ihe good offices ot Messrs Brown and Hughes to look after' out* interests (the representatives of otir choice having almost deserted us), it may not therefore be out of place to enumerate ft portion of our wants, with the hope that some friend of the goldfields will lend us their assistance. The business of mining for gold is without doubt o e of the most valuable industries we possess, and the necessity for assisting by every means its development must be plainly apparent to all. To increase the present supply of water is of first importance as without that we cannot hope much to advance, it must be always borne in mind that as our nr ties of working or dealing with the auriferous earth improves, manual labor is gradually dispensed with, water being made to supply- its place, therefore even to preserve the present number of our mining popula.tr n in the absence of an increased water supj ply, there must be a further develop- | mint of our quanta reefs, or fresh discoveries of alluvial made. We have I enormous natural reservoirs of water, Which with good management might be utaiised, and made 'to do duty in , largely increasing the yield of gold. To tap the great Lakes or construct conduits from the head waters of our ' large rivers, are about the only means j by which we can materially increase | present supplies, and this can only be accomplished by a considerable outlay ol capital. Now as this v aluable commodity is by no means plentiful, a substitute might be found by making payments in land. To construct these extensive works, the assistance of the j Government must he invoked, they a,e far beyond the reach of private j entai prise, and could payment for | labor be made in land, we are sure ■ that there would be no difficulty in j obtaining it, there are hundreds of men anxious to settle upon the sod, and who would gladly avail themselves of such an opportunity to do so, and were this process introduced, we should not only be increasing our escort returns, but be adding to the number of permaumt occupiers of the land at the same time, and what is more, increasing (he consumption of all kinds of farm produce, no 1 ranch of labor by these means world be overdone, supply and demand would have c-.-e 'stern-e. Faeiliiies to acquire land should be largely increased io induce eramigraiiou, we must offer more attractions than have hitherto been the case. The system of agricultural leases might wita advantage be extended to all parts of the colony, let the people take up land where they can find it unoccupied, and when eight yea is rent of half a crown per acre s paid, let them be entitled io the freehold Victoria. B'outh Ans•ralia, New South Wales and Queensland are all vieing with each oi her to attract immigrants The present land law of Victoria is liberal in tlje extreme, and it is high time, that ve did something co increase out population. This is n matter that the Provincial Council will not of itself be able to deal with, but their reconiI'leuda.’on w'U go a long way lowanl-; obtaining the object desired. Tie cultivation of trees and making • dental ions of native flax deserves s >ine attention. The new and valuible industry, which flax dressing has opemld out to us, and the demand for ..Ms material in the English- market, will in all probability increase ihe nine of flax as an article to export io such an e;.teut ciiai it will exceed ohat of wool, we shall 1 avc farms, ae--uted entirely to ihe growing of flux, the rich lauds on the sea-board will lie thus largely occupied, while cereals

will be mostly derived Irom the interior, the dry climate of which will produce wheat equal to the Continent of Australia, also many fruits peculiar to semi-tropical climates. The system of our rivet crossings requires to be reformed, the present charges made, at the punts are enormous, and very much retard the progress of the Province. Thousands of pounds have been expended in making roads to connect the goldfields by way of the valley of the Molynex, and these roads cannot be made use of as they should be, because of the crossing places of the river - having passed into private hands, the Province having no control over them whatever A s easy communication from one place to Another is of such vital importance to the progress of the Province, this matter should not fail to engage the attention of the Council during the corning Session.