Volume 14 Australasia - dana ward's homepage

404 AUSTRALASIA.1859. But altliougti its political life is shorter than that either of Western orSouth Australia, it already surpasses both of those states in trade and population.Convicts, however, had been transported to the shores of Moreton Bay so earlyas the year 1824, and the territory had been thrown open to free colonisation in1842. The inhabitants of North Queensland, whose economic interests are notalways in harmony with those of the southern region, are already demanding theformation of a new state, to comprise the shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria, theYork Peninsula, the Torres Strait islands, and British New Guinea.The countryis meantime administratively constituted in the three " divisions " of North,Central, and South Queensland, which are regarded as destined one day to formthree distinct political states.More than one-third of the inhabitants is still concentrated in the south-eastcorner of Queensland, the old district of Moreton Bay. But beyond this regioncentres of population are already very numerous, settlers being attracted todifferent jjarts by the diverse agricultural and industrial interests. As in NewSouth "Wales there are vast grazing grounds, especially on the western slope of themountains ;Queensland also possesses rich auriferous deposits, which are scatteredthroughout the whole colony from the New South Wales frontier to the YorkPeninsula, and the valleys sloping towards the Gulf of Carpentaria. Its depositsof copper, tin, and coal have also attracted speculators and miners to various partsof the territory, while such alimentary plants as wheat, maize, sugar-cane, tea,ptne-applfis, which do not thrive under the same climate, have had the consequenceof developing several distinct centres of colonisation throughout the colony.For the cultivation of tropical plants the growers have had recourse to theservices of South Sea Islanders engaged for a term of years, and usually comprisedunder the general name of " Karnakies," that is. Kanakas, a word in thePolynesian languages simply meaning " men." But this sj'stem of contractlabour, carried on by means of the so-called " labour-vessels," has been a fruitfulsource of crime and of outrages against the freedom and even the Kvcs of theOceanic peopks. The presence of the Chinese also has given rise in Queenslandto the most cruel injustice on the part of the " representatives of the highercivilisation." Kidnapping expeditions have often been organised in this colony,which have spread havoc and ruin throughout many Melanesianarchipelagoes.and PolynesianBriiibanc, capital and oldest town in Queensland, stands on the river of likename, at the point where it expands into an estuary communicating with MoretonBay some 24 miles lower down. Vessels of average tonnage ascend this estuaryto a bridge about 1,150 feet long, which here crosses the river. The port ofBrisbane, the most frequented in Queensland, is approached through the fineroadstead of Moreton Baj^, which is sheltered by a long chain of low islands, andconnected with the capital by two railways. One of these lines runs north-eastin the direction of Sandgate, a favourite watering-place and summer residence ;the other passes south-eastwards through Alberton to the southern entrance of thebay, which is accessible only to boats. Brisbane is suj^plied with an abundance