276 



THE IKRIGATION AGE. 



COLONIZING BY THE STATE OF VICTORIA, 

 AUSTRALIA. 



Australia has an area somewhat larger than 

 the United States of America. Yet there is only a 

 population of less than five million people in this 

 great island continent of the southern hemisphere. 



The Hon. James Bryce, until recently British 

 ambassador at Washington, who lately visited the 

 country observed : "Having now seen a good deal 

 of Australia, I am impressed with the necessity 

 about which I do not think there can be any differ- 

 ence of opinion of more rapidly and effectively 

 peopling it." The commonwealth government 



MR. F. T. A. FRICKE, 



Official Representative Government of Victoria, Australia, 

 San Francisco, Cal. 



being in sympathy with this contention has ex- 

 tensive propaganda promoting immigration and is 

 alive to the importance of increasing the popula- 

 tion and commerce. The regulations are such that 

 ail white people of a desirable class are welcomed. 

 The progress is not, however, so fast as with other 

 countries with less restrictive conditions, though 

 effective plans in England have resulted in new ar- 

 rivals to the extent of 100,000 per annum. 



The government of each respective state has i 

 separate land colonization system. This article 



deals with the policy of Victoria, and the govern- 

 ment of this progressive state has commissioned 

 an official representative in North America. Mr. 

 F. T. A. Fricke, who has recently been appointed 

 as such, is a Victorian government official from that 

 country and with established central offices at 687 

 Market street, San Francisco, Cal. This is regarded as 

 the present front door of America for Australia until 

 possibly the opening of the Panama canal may 

 effect some change. 



The prospects of increased trade are encourag- 

 ing between these two English-speaking peoples on. 

 the Pacific ocean and the establishment of the 

 above representation is the outcome of the visit 

 of several delegations previously dispatched from 

 Victoria. To promote a better understanding, the 

 authorities are confident that a sprinkling of Ameri- 

 cans among the rural population is likely to be 

 effective. With this object Mr. Fricke is organiz- 

 ing, on behalf of his government, an excursion to 

 Victoria next November at greatly reduced rates 

 for a single journey, and also for return passages 

 to enable others to make inquiries on the spot. The 

 party will be conducted over state-owned railways 

 free of charge to allow of the fullest opportunity 

 of inspecting and inquiring into the conditions 

 offered by Victoria. 



This season of the year is chosen as it is then 

 the fall in America, but spring-time in the 

 Antipodes. Too much importance cannot be at- 

 tached to this feature as one offering advantages 

 for production for the world's market in the north- 

 ern hemisphere. This is evidenced in the ex- 

 tensive trade with Europe in butter, fruit and other 

 produce, for the handling of which a fleet of no less 

 than 150 ships (with cold and frozen storage) is 

 required per annum. 



Victoria, the southeastern state of Australia, 

 is situated in a latitude which gives it a climate 

 similar to that of California. The configuration is,, 

 however, east and west instead of north and south 

 as with the state of the Golden Gate, and thus very 

 uniform temperatures prevail throughout. There is 

 an average annual rainfall of over twenty-five 

 inches per annum and owing to the favorable con- 

 ditions for production, Victoria is known as "The 

 Garden State of Australia." 



Land Settlement. 



Apart from the general conditions of settlers 

 obtaining state lands not yet developed, the gov- 

 ernment has an active closer settlement policy. 

 Large tracts in the past have been parted with by 

 the state, but with the progress of civilization are 

 gradually becoming within the bounds of good com- 

 munication and now found to be more suitable for 

 intensive farming. The government has power to- 

 resume such lands, which are then cut up into 

 smaller holdings. By these means there are always 

 splendid lands available for settlement purposes, no- 

 matter whether for alfalfa, corn, root crops, cereals, 

 citrus or deciduous fruits, and general farming. 



A considerable territory admirably suited for 

 irrigation has also been brought under this policy, 

 and the government has several systems which have 

 entailed an expenditure of nearly $20,000,000. The 

 principal of these is what is known as the Goulburn 



