CHAPTEE XIII. 



THE NEW COLONY ITS PROGRESS AND LIMITATIONS: 

 A RETROSPECT. 



BEFORE narrating the social and political turmoil into which the 

 colony was plunged by the impending rush of population, it may 

 be well to devote a chapter to some details of its material progress, 

 which have not been dealt with in the preceding pages. 



It is mainly confined to the Metropolis, to Geelong, and to the 

 few small towns which had sprung up on the sea-board, for, up to 

 1851, there were no important centres of activity in the interior. 

 The population of the district and the appearance of Melbourne 

 at the time of Mr. Latrobe's arrival in 1839 have already been 

 described. 



In the twelve years between that date and the census of 

 March, 1851, the number of inhabitants had increased from 5,000 

 to 77,000. But the numerical increase, substantial as it undoubtedly 

 was, the annual additions ranging from 300 in 1843, the year of 

 financial distress, to 14,800 in 1849, was rendered far more effective 

 by the material improvement in the character of the population. 

 When out of a total of 5,000 there were 1,200 to 1,500 servants 

 who had emerged from the convict ranks of Tasmania or the 

 Sydney district, the uncanny preponderance was a menace to the 

 moral well-being of the community. The ever-growing demand 

 for labour had, as already shown, compelled the unwilling accept- 

 ance of it in this form; but as the free immigrants poured in, 

 efforts were made successfully to substitute them for the objection- 

 able element. This was largely effected in 1841-42, and three 

 years later the worst of the " old hands " had been practically 



eliminated, while such of them as had the saving grace of repent- 



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