THE Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1892. VICTORIA’S SOCIAL CONDITION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2419, 1 November 1892, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1892. VICTORIA’S SOCIAL CONDITION.

Tn ere is food for reflection in sorne statistics concerning Victoria, which have been recently published. According to Hayter’s year book the population of Victoria has increased 32.244 per cent, during the last ten years, that is, putting it in simple language, there are three persons now in Victoria to every two in it in 1881. That certainly is a rapid increase, but an examination of the occupations of the people will show that it is not a healthy one. The following table will show the increase in the various occupations ; Occupation. Increase. Doctors 117.805 percent. Workmen engaged in Building 104.607 ~ „ Musicians 85.02 „ „ Clergymen 82.78 „ „ Actors ... ... 81.12 ~ ~ Lawyers 0(5.13 „ ~ Waiters 53.31 „ „ Persons of property or rank ... ... 4(5.05 ~ ~ Persons supported by charity 18.79 „ „ Persons engaged in pastoral pursuits ... 16.15 „ „ Persona engaged in agriculture 10.21 „ „ Teachers 7.43 „ „ Criminals 6.22 „ „

Persons engaged in mining have decreased 56 per cent., that is, out of every 100 persons employed in mines ten years ago, there are only 44 of them there now. This denotes that the raining industry of Victoria, which was always its backbone, has fallen away tremendously during the last ten years, and this doubtless explains a good deal of the depression from which it suffers. The most remarkable increase is that of the doctors. While the whole population has increased by one-third, the number of doctors has been more than doubled. This is an abnormal increase, and indicates that there are more doctors in Victoria than can be required. It is nonsense to think that the people are less healthy, and require more medical attendance now than they did ten years ago, and the only conclusion to be arrived at is that more people have adopted medicine as a profession than the demand for their services warranted. The number of men employed on buildings have more than doubled, but the “ boom ” of course explains all that. Half Melbourne was pulled down and rebuilt again during the halcyon days of mad extravagance, and hence the increase. It will be found that the next decade will not show such an increase amongst the builders. Music must be well cultivated there, judging by the great increase, while religion would appear to have made rapid strides. On that point we are sceptical. We doubt whether multiplicity of clergymen denotes increased religious fervor. The fact is that a terrible number of selfappointed, self-ordained preachers are to be met with everywhere, and these no doubt go to swell the clerical number. The increase in the clerical number is judicative of nothing, unless it is of the splitting djj* of Christians into a multiplicity of sects. Rotors are birds of passage, but the fact thattne/ have so increased shows how fond of amusements the people are, while the lawyers indicate that the people are fond of going to law. The two next items show that good progress has been made in the accumulation of wealth. The men of wealth have increased 46 per cent., while those in attendance on them have risen by 53 per cent. Considering all the social conditions the recepients of charity have kept well within bounds, and so have the criminals, but the small increase in teachers is remarkable. The teachers have not at all kept pace with the times, and leaves us doubtful as to whether education has been properly attended to.

The point, however, to which we desire to direct particular attention is the land. While the population has increased over 32 per cent., the squatter has only increased 1G per cent., and the farmer 10 per cent. Taking these in connection with the decrease in the mining industries, a picture is given to us of the social life of the colony, which is not at all promising. If land is the backbone of h country, it is on it the greater numbers ought to be employed, but these figures denote that either the land is not obtainable, or else the people will not work it. In either case the prospect of Victoria is dark. Too man}' are in the towns, too few in the country, and probably a great deal of the depression from which it. is sutlering at the present time is traceable to this.