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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 269, 12 October 1875, Page 4

- * . ■*«■ . It is stated in a letter recently received from tbe Palmer diggings (says the Brisbane Courier), that the Chinamen there are showing rather a wonderful example of capacity to adapt themselves tp circumstances. About 500 Chinamen are offering themselves for hire as beasts of burden, at so much per lb., from Cooktown to the Palmer. Each man undertakes to carry the extreme burden of 150 lbs. on his bamboo. With a view to destroy competition, these ohildren of a country said to be about 1,000 years behind the age, have smoothed matters by burning off the grass aU along the roads, so that/teams shall not be able to travel. At 150 Ibe. per man, we find tbat these 150 coolies will be able to convey about 30 tons at a trip, and that each man will do about one- third the work ordinarily imposed upon a working bullock, Iv other words, about 30 of them will carry about two tons, which may be taken as tbe average loading placed upon a dray drawn by a team of 10 bullocks. The means adopted to keep teams off the road is, of course, utterly oondemnable, and the practice might perhaps be put a stop to by beinging the Careless Use of Fire Prevention Act into force in the district; but this on'ot ked-for development of John Chinaman's utility is decidedly an agreeable surprise, as there can be no question that he will be able to trot along with his load dnring wet weather, when teams will not be able tp move on acconnt of the bogginess of the ground. Fortunately it ia, we conceive, beyond ingenuity cAen of a Chinaman to barn green grass, and the first shower of rain will always work against his attempt to secure a monopoly.