354 A HISTORY OF THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



tempting to eradicate this little rodent, while New South Wales 

 and South Australia combined have spent four times that amount. 

 And. it is estimated that the expenditure of the pastoral tenants 

 under certain compulsory conditions was nearly as much. To-day, 

 there are many hundreds of men in Victoria making a comfortable 

 living as trappers. Many millions of Australian rabbits find their 

 way in a continuous stream into the British provision marts, and 

 hundreds of thousands of pounds are added to the value of Victorian 

 exports by] what was, till lately, a real scourge to pastoralist and 

 farmer alike. 



The value of butter exported in the year 1900 exceeded 1,500,000, 

 being nearly one-half of the value of the wool exported in the same 

 period. In view of the transport facilities already referred to, it is 

 reasonable to believe that the dairy industry is capable of indefinite 

 expansion. It is possible that it will exceed in volume the industry 

 upon which the colony was built up. The danger is that when the 

 dairy farmer becomes wealthy the same outcry may be raised against 

 him that drove the Victorian squatter into the back blocks of New 

 South Wales. There are already schemes formulated demanding 

 the compulsory resumption of properties used for grazing, in order 

 that they may be cut up into small holdings for the supposed land- 

 hungry but really helpless contingent of hangers-on, who are incap- 

 able of even looking in any direction but that pointed out by a 

 paternal Government. 



The production of wine, long a neglected industry, has, with 

 somewhat varying fortunes, crept up to an out-put of 2,500,000 

 gallons in 1900. It has had to struggle against much prejudice in 

 the European market, and its export has rarely been profitable, all 

 that reaches continental markets being used for blending with local 

 wines. There are great possibilities in this form of production, the 

 climate and much of the soil of Victoria being specially suitable 

 for it. To ensure its profitable establishment, however, it requires 

 abundant and not too costly labour, together with a substantial 

 increase in the number of local consumers. Climatically, Victoria 

 is certainly a light wine drinking country, but transplanted habits 

 have hitherto been too strong to be discarded. 



Large ships, moderate freights and increased handling facilities 



