We were told of one
small town which had become famous by its good taste or good fortune in
having preserved in its midst one of the ancient monarchs. Well, what
could be done to preserve Australian forests? We must not deprive the
people of the use of these forests, for there they are for the purpose,
as part of the country's wealth, and in quantity enough for all,
discreetly dealt with. I would parcel out the forests, into great
clumps, marking off adequate passages between each, and only permitting
for the present the latter to be dealt with. With the gradual clearing
of these intervals, the reserved portions, and the colony generally,
might be freed, in great measure, from the risk of fires.
EARLY VICTORIA, FROM 1851.
"Gold! gold! gold!
Bright and yellow, hard and cold."
--Hood.
I am drawing near the end of what may be fairly considered as "Early
Melbourne and Victoria." Indeed, I might be challenged in going beyond
the memorable 1851, a year which ushers such momentous new features into
the colony. But considerably more than a generation has since passed;
and, writing as I do for those who occupy to-day the old scene, I may
plead as my excuse their own view of the subject; for already they
regard the time I have come to as the real beginning of early Victoria,
while the dim distances preceding are to them a kind of age before the
deluge, which ordinary memories fail to fathom.
Pages:
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162