Rise and Progress of Victoria.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2372, 23 October 1880, Page 1 (Supplement)

Rise and Progress of Victoria.

In traversing the events which have led up to the remarkable culmination of an International Exhibition in a colony little more than forty years of age, we may, without fear of wearying our readers, particularise those more prominent occurrences in its history which may be regarded as the landmarks of its progress. It is necessary to realise the extraordinary strides which Victoria has made, not merely in material wealth and population, but also in those arts and refinements which, as we know, always accompany wealth and population, in order that we may properly appreciate the proud and unexampled position which the colony now holds. Little more than forty years ago, John Batman moored his little vessel, the Rebecca, to a gum-tree then growing on the site of Coleys Wharf, on the banks of the Yarra. He was the pioneer of settlement; for, although the brothers Henty had “ squatted” in the Portland Bay district, it was Batman, followed by Fawkner, who settled the country in and around Melbourne, The advent of these two enterprising men resulted in an extensive emigration from the neighbouring island of Tasmania; and so rapidly did settlement take place that, within some four years of the first arrival setting foot upon the banks of the Yarra, the population had increased tenfold. It may be imagined how swift was this march of events when we state that in 1840, four years after the inauguration of settlement, no less than four newspapers were established—the Advertiser, Patriot (subsequently the Argus), Gazette, and Herald, together with the Geelong Advertiser. Governor Latrobe entered upon his duties as superintendent of the district of Port Phillip on the Ist October, 1839. At this time the population was now 3510, of whom 430 were women. Attention was given to the establishment of schools, maintenance of public order, facilities for public worship, and such matters as naturally spring from the congregation of a population in a township or settlement. Steadily the colony progressed, and, notwithstanding that in 1841 a monetary crisis took place, which, for the time, paralysed industry and checked progression, the brave little community fought manfully against the misfortune, and ultimately overcame it. By 1848 the trouble was over ; and meanwhile a steady stream of population had set in from England, which largely increased the industries and resources of the place. Melbourne had now become an important town of New South Wales; sheep farming was largely carried on in the interior, while around and about the settlement the country soon blossomed with farms. Even under these ordinary conditions of settlement and stimulation, the progress of the colony was very extraordinary. It was as though Nature had marked Australia Felix as her most favoured daughter. In November, 1850, the Act was passed which made Victoria an independent colony, and a fresh impetus was given to the onward march of the country. Presently an event took place which, within a few short months, lifted the colony from its slow, but certain, advance to a position which could not have been attained, under ordinary conditions, in less than a century. In 1851 a rumour was heard throughout the colonies of large finds of gold in Victoria. Instantly the pulse of the populations beat with fever passion. The imagination conjured up the most gorgeous ideals of wealth “beyond the dream of avarice,” Naught else was thought of; nothing else was spoken about. Gold, almighty gold, was literally set up as an idol. It filled all men’s minds, it filled all men’s hearts. To the looker-on, unimpassioned, indifferent to the madness which had seized upon all his fellows, the spectacle was one full of a suggestive philosophy. Naturally, crowds poured into Victoria. The auriferous country was soon riddled by the pick and shovel of the digger. A picture was presented of a most extraordinary character. The beggar of to-day was the capitalist of to-morrow. Fortune, fickle jade! cast her favours around and about with most capricious humour. The prizes were not more numerous thanthe blanks. It was a lottery upon a gigantic scale. Under such conditions, the colony advanced at railroad speed. Population brings with it industry, and the outcome of industry is, of course, prosperity. And as, in course of time, the first passion which had stimulated all men to devote their energies towards the acquisition of wealth by means of delving for it, passed away, they settled down to other pursuits. The population set to work to build up the edifice, the first story of which had been erected with such astounding celerity. A comparison between the condition of affairs in 1836 and 1880—forty-four years of interval—will best impress our readers with an appreciation of the marvellous progress, which is the [history of Victoria. In 1835, there were 60 people at Portland Bay. Following Batman’s advent and Fawkner’s settlement, in 1836, the population rose to 224, of whom 38 were females. The live stock amounted to 75 horses, 155 horned cattle, and 41,332 sheep. There were 65 acres under cultivation.

For the year ending 1879, the returns were as follow:—Area of territory in square miles, 88,198; estimated population, 899,333; revenue, £4,621,520; revenue raised by taxation, £1,730,088; taxation per head of population, £1 19s. 4fd.; value of imports, £1,535,538; value per head of population, £l6lßs, 6|d.; value of exports, £12,454,170; per head of population, £l4 Os. 4d.; total value of trade imports and exports, £27,489,708; total value per head of population, £3O 18s. 9|d.; miles of railway running, 1125; *in course of construction, _74|; of telegraph lines, 3155; of telegraph wire open, 6736; in course of construction, lines, 23, wire, 47; aoerage under crop, 1,688,275 ; horses, 216,710; cattle, 1,129,358; sheep, 8,661,755; pigs, 144,733; public debt, £20,050,763; rate of debt per head, £22 os. 10|d. What country of the world can show the like phenomenon—for such it is of .advancement. . , . Xhfl legislature has succeeded m passing some measures which have materially promoted the settlement and increased the resources of the country. Industries innumerable have been established, a large area of land has been taken up for fanning purposes, and, although the original alluvial gold diggings are now few and far between, the mining industry is by no means “played out,” The deep claims in Ballarat, Olunes, and Stawell continue to yield noble dividends ; and at Sandhurst steady employment is given to a large body of miners in working the various claims of the districts. Railways traverse the country in all directions, and every facility is given fpr the conveyance of produce to market. 'l'he#o are the favourable conditions of our present position—these are the influences which hav© leyi to our great International Exhibition of 1889,