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LANDS OF TASMANIA.

We heave to acknowledge the receipt of a pamphlet under this title, compiled from the official records of the Survey Department, by Mr. J. E. Calder, surveyor general of the Colony, and his assistants, Messrs. 11. E. Smith, 11. J. Hull, and Alexander lleid. The pamphlet extends to a hundred closely printed folio pages, and embraces a large and interesting amount of statistical information of which any notice can only convey but a very superficial outline. No man can be more capable of affording the most complete and authentic information on this subject than Mr. Calder, for no surveyor has been more constantly and largely a-field than he ; and there is, perhaps, no individual to whom Tasmania, civilized and savage, is so thoroughly, so intimately known, or by whom its woods and wilds, its lakes, its mountains, and its rivers have been more diligently explored. For upwards of a quarter of a century, Mr. Calder has been connected with the department of which he is now deservedly the chief. It was through his indefatigable perseverance that a track was cut, and it was under his able leading that the late Sir .John Franklin, Lady Franklin, and their party, comprising Lieutenant George liagot, olst, K.0.L.1., A.U.C., Dr. Milligan, and the present writer, in April 1842, penetrated from the inhabited districts of Tasmania to the desolate regions and abandoned penal settlement of Macquarie harbour, whence they barely escaped with life, —notwithstanding the herculean exertions of Mr. Calder to speed with food to their relief. No man, therefore, is more fit to afford a statistical description of a country of which every district has been trodden, and every part familiar to him. As wo have already said, the pamphlet is not a work for extract, it is a book of reference, and we can, therefore, cull but a few items of interest here and there.

From the pages before ns, we learn that, after being colonised for upwards of half a century, tin.' total population of Tasmania does not exceed 89,977 souls. Considering the many thousands of convicts annually landed on her shores; considering also the thousands and tens of thousands of pounds annually expended on free immigration, it seems clear that Tasmania must afford but an indifferent field for successful industry; the bond evidently seek the other colonies as soon as they become emancipated; and it is quite conclusive that Sir John Franklin employed no empty figure of speech when he characterised the Tasmanian Immigration Fund as a bridge by which the passage across to Victoria was made easy. The total area ofTasmania, its various islands and lakes, is estimated at 16,778,000 acres —■ being nearly two millions of acres less than the Province of Auckland, Of this area only 3,309,029 acres have been alienated, a fact which goes far to verify an assertion made by the writer of this notice more than 20 years since, that not more than one-sixth of Tasmania would ever be available to human industry, because of the barren character, inclemency, and utter inhospitality of the larger portion of its interior, where summer frosts and winter torrents are absolute bars to any reclaiming of those stony, sterile, alpine regions. The land in cultivation at the end of 1861 amounted to 248,064 acres. The average produce per acre was estimated thus —wheat, 18 bushels 581 bs, ; barley, 23 bushels 201bs, ; oats, 29 bushels 331bs. ; potatoes, 5 tons 1 cwt, 461bs. ; and hay, 1 ton 17 cwt, 681b5., an average, in each, far exceeding those of South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales.

The produce of 1861 was 1,380,913 bushels wheat, from 72,773 acres ; 751,475 bushels outs, from 29,022 acres; 169,381 bushels barley, from 7,279 acres.

With respect to stock slaughtered, we need only cite the items of sheep and cattle to show how injuriously dependent Tasmania still is, and for nearly thirty years has been, upon her neighbour Colonies of Australia for animal food—sheep slaughtered in 1861, Tasmanian, 15,390 ; imported, 19,603 ; Tasmanian cattle, 1,663 ; imported, 4,450. Mr. Calder, however, states that a readjustment of this depreciatory balance is taking place, and congratulates the colony on the hope of a speedy cessation of so injurious an importation, which he says is in some measure compensated by the exportation of horses. As a proof of decreasing importation of animal jood, the totals of Tasmanian stock slaughtered during the first six months of the current year amounted to 21,796 head, whilst those imported were only 6,128 head. This change appears to arise from the feeding of stock, because of the large production (60,000 tons) and limited exportation (466 tons) of hay. Through the same source the dairy produce of the country has been largely augmented, importation having nearly ceased, whilst last year £10,739 worth was exported. About 8000 tons of potatoes are annually exported; but, in consequence of the ravages of the Hy, the growth of turnips has almost become extinct. Ten years ago, the Avcight of that crop was estimated at 32,188 tons; in 1857 it had fallen to 14,520 tons, and last year to only 4,951 tons. The export of orchard produce is considerable, being of the estimated value of £50,816.

Wo have a ten years’ statement of the export of the great staple —wool, which indicates it declension rather than extension, hi 1852, the quantity shipped amounted to 4,680,96.911)3., valued at £245,201 ; in 1861, to 4,003,{J691he.. valued at £826,413. The

largest amount, and the largest price was in 1859, when 6,107,9031b5. of the value of £467,968, were exported. “ The picture,” writes Mr. Calder, “is instructive, if .not very gratifying. The remarkable similarity of the [ten years] totals of the quantity columns reveals facts that are neither to be mistaken nor confuted. The first is, that the wool trade of Tasmania has made no advance whatever in ten years ; while the second declares to us, as plainly as figures can speak, that her occupied pastures are stocked to the uttermost for the support of sheep, cattle, and horses, which, on a rough average of tenyeais, seem generally to amount to about 2,000,000 sheep, and 100,000 horses and cattle. The first figures fix the limit of w. ff production at about 5,000,0001b5. a-year, beyond w.iich the experience of ten years informs us that we cannot advance a step in the present state of our pastures.” This stationary condition of the wool producing capacity of Tasmania, during her last two lustres, is well calculated to arrest the consideration of her colonists, and to cause them to inquire, with Mr. Calder, if only 3,309,029 acres bo suitable for human occupation and industry? “Surely,” says that gentleman, “ ten millions of acres cannot all be barren and unsuited for settlement.” The exclamation is a natural, but a significant one. Mr. Calder well knows the country, its upland climate, its impenetrable, mountains and forests, with the occasional plains of wiry, uusucculent grass, half marJi, half river, and only occupable for a few months of midsummer; he affords the most conclusive testimony to his thorough accuracy on this point, when he adds, “the tracts of country above referred to are, I know, none of the best, and considerable losses of stock would doubtless occur there, as at all our far away pastures. * * * I submit that we cannot afford to reject inferior pastures ; if we did .so, a third of our stock must 1)0 got rid of at once, for on such pastures that proportion at least is supported. These plains, though inferior, and producing only a coarse herbage, would possibly support sheep at the rate of one to ten acres.” Let our New Zealand sheep farmers contrast their experiences with those of Mr. Calder, and we think they will have every reason to be content with the land in which they have cast their lot. We commend Mr. Calder’s work to their attention, because we are well aware of the reliance to be placed upon the statements set forth, no man being more capable of doing justice to the subject, whether from long residence, thorough knowledge of the country and practical intelligence of the subjects of which he treats.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZ18620910.2.9

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

New Zealander, Volume XVIII, Issue 1722, 10 September 1862, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,355

LANDS OF TASMANIA. New Zealander, Volume XVIII, Issue 1722, 10 September 1862, Page 3

LANDS OF TASMANIA. New Zealander, Volume XVIII, Issue 1722, 10 September 1862, Page 3

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