Occasional Notes. 153 



pi6lures of an advanced and prosperous mining industry ; 

 of the inland settlements and villages, and possibly even 

 cities, with their farms and clearings, where a wider agri- 

 cultural development may be attained ; and of a trade in 

 timber and other forest produ6ls from regions at present 

 untapped ; while the easy access to higher lands will 

 furnish health resorts from the coast ; and the gradual 

 clearing of the land, by lessening the almost continuous 

 extent of forest, will tend to an equalisation of climatic 

 conditions that must have a marked influence in de- 

 creasing both the great periodic and constant swamps of 

 the interior. 



Already, however, the note of labour-alarm has been 

 sounded, for the rapid development of the gold industry 

 within the last two years, has been the means of drawing 

 away from the sugar estates an appreciable quantity 

 from the staff of labourers ; and with the continued 

 advance of the industry, it is but to be expe6led that the 

 labour supply of the estates, will be still further 

 lessened. The question is thus a most important one, 

 fraught with grave issues to the material prosperity of 

 the colony, how best to maintain the staple sugar 

 industry in full and vigorous swing, and, at the same 

 time, to provide for and encourage the fullest develop- 

 ment of the mineral wealth within our reach. 



