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AUSTRALIAN FISHERIES 



Ic io a comiiiun and natural occurrence in " new " coun- 

 tries that the early colonisis and their descendants devote 

 attention luiinly to occupations and industries which 

 l)romise the greatest and quickest returns, and thereby the 

 best prospect of accumulating wealth, while other avenues 

 and vocations arc mostly allowed to remain undeveloped 

 mitil force of circumstances (competition) gradually renders 

 greater application necessary. 



In the case of Australia, attention was early directed to 

 gold miniiig and pastoral pursuits, while agiiculture after- 

 wards became a third main source of revenue; and, under 

 theje circumstances, it is easy to see how the population 

 not onlv had all its interests centred in the land, l)ut in most 

 cases became scattered over a wide area, with more or less 

 [primitive means of communication. This isolation com- 

 pelled self-help and independence, and in all matters per- 

 taining to country life the residen.ts soon acquired an 

 expertness and aptness that has set its mark upon the 

 race. In the case of foodstuffs also, it became necessary, 

 in most instances, to de])end upon local production, as 

 distance and a semi-tropical climate rendered transi)ort 

 difficult. This, of course, lias meant a meat diet at all t.mes 

 ■of the day, and the Australians are now pronounced meat- 

 eaters in spite of the fact that a fish diet is much more 

 suitable in a warm chmate. I'resh tish could c^nly be 

 intermittently obtained, or not at all; and the tinned or 

 salt<"d products from America and Europe provided prac- 

 tically the only change. 



The conditions of life tliat in this manner have rivelted 

 attention to the land and the soil have e((ually prevented 

 an acquaintance with the sea and its vocations, and the 

 Australians are not in consef|uence a sea-faring people to 

 the same extent as most other nations with an exter.ded 

 seaboard; but sailors ar.d fishermen are nnicli akin, and 

 without the one there are but few of the other. 



I'^rom the combination of circimislances here related, it 

 is pUiin that during the earlier iieriod of the development 



