380 A HISTORY OF THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



homes, and heard the wail of the unemployed go up threateningly 

 in its Metropolis ? The gambling spirit engendered by sudden suc- 

 cess had much to do with it, but the following official figures furnish 

 sufficient reason : 



30,286,000 37,560,000 



When it is borne in mind that the imports of Great Britain 

 at this period did not reach 5 per head, it will not be surprising 

 to learn that 79 per head, for men, women and children, is a 

 phenomenal figure, and the record consumption for any known 

 country. But probably quite 20 per cent, of these imports were 

 wasted or destroyed ; a large proportion of them were useless to 

 meet any real requirements of the population, and they included 

 beer and spirits to the value of nearly 6,000,000, which certainly 

 added nothing to the permanent wealth of the community. They 

 indicate a reckless condition of expenditure and trading operations, 

 and the foreign exchanges which, under such exceptional conditions, 

 should have shown substantially in favour, left the colony with a 

 debit trade balance of over 7,000,000, equal to 29 per head of 

 the population. 



It was during 1852-53 that the Argus delivered its most bitter 

 attacks on Mr. Latrobe, attributing to him all the ills under which 

 the colony suffered, from bushranging down to short market sup- 

 plies, and the high cost of living. The harshest denunciations 

 of his extravagant expenditure were frequently set off in the 

 same issue by blaming him for the want of those accessories 

 to the progress of the colony which could only be provided by 

 large additional outlay. The standing prominent advertisement : 

 " Wanted, a Governor ; apply to the People of Victoria," was 

 cruelly insulting, and the incessant cry of " Unlock the Lands " 

 was based upon a misconception of the public needs. It has been 

 already shown that over 20,000 acres of productive freehold lands 

 had been allowed to fall out of cultivation for want of labour, and 



