THE COMING AUSTRALIAN.

Kumara Times, Issue 1389, 15 March 1881, Page 3

THE COMING AUSTRALIAN.

This is the-jitle of a remarkable paper in tbejTictorian Eeview, in which Mr James F. Hogan maintains that the tendency of young Australia is decidedly downwards. The three main characteristics of the native Australian appear to be (1) an inordinate love of field sports; (2), a very decided disinclination to recognise the authority of parents and superiors j and (3), a grievous dislike to mental effort. Mr Hogan says' that nine out of every ten native Australians spend all their leisure either in .cricket or football. The insubordination of the Australian " rikin" he attributes largely to the extent to which State education takes the place of parental training; and, ■whatever its cause, there is no doubt that the proportion of juvenile crime in Victoria is abnormally large. His evidence is less conclusive as to the dislike which he thinks he discerns to all mental effort. He suras up bis conclusions by saying that " the coming inhabitant of the Southern continent will be peaceably disposed and sportively inclined ; rather'selfish in conduct and Becnlav in practice ; contented and easy going, but non-intellectual and tasteless." In _ other words, remarks the Pall Mall Badget, Mr Hogan thinks that the Australian of the future will sink to tlie level of the Sandwich Islander.