"Puff" on the Melbourne Land Boom

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 63, 24 November 1888, Page 3

"Puff" on the Melbourne Land Boom

Talking about risky bis and stone breaking, what's this about the land boom in Melbourne ? Only what I told you all along ! You stuck to it all through that 41 cause and effect are the same at Melbourne as they are anywhere else," aud that the saaie causes which produced the smash here in 1879 were houud to cdue a smash in Victoria in 1888 or 1889! It is said the bills of several large epeculatora and syndicates are not negotiable aud the shares of several bank and finance companies have declined owing to the holders being obliged to realise ! There is a feeling of considerable uneasiness in commercial cirles ! Hoho! They've had their drunk, and now there are premonitary symptoms of the horrors! They'll see enough rats to extirpate the rabbit pest, before they've done ! Hav' n't they anything to fall back upon ? Only what nature's provided them with in their own person! They'll oome down bumpo ! But the colony has vast resources ! Don't you believe it ! The exports are the only trustworthy tes 4 ; of a country's resources, and the exports of Victoria have been steadily and rapidly failing off for years past ! There's a bright look out for them this year, is'n't there? Things look very bad! It it the worst drought r since 1 565! The sheep are being fed on scrub and are dying by thousands ! Yes and every day the losses are in an' increasing ratio! In the rich Albury district, on the border of Victoria and New South Wales, one of the very best parts of Australia, they're cutting the wheat for hay, and they don't expect more than onethird of the average harvest ! The chances are they won't get one-sixth ! You can fancy what the state of the poorer parts Is, where, even, in a good Jsason. they want a shower of ram averv day and a shower of muck a Sunday ! Anything toiall baok on m frail No, what with gambhng and •?£tection, they've knocked the stuff - • <^oi*teOO?antfylongiigo!