Statistics of Van Diemen's Land. 123 



Table 45 sets out tlie average prices that have ruled for 

 agricultural produce throughout the Colony, showing a 

 considerable decline from those of former years. 



Table 46 is a return of the contract prices for wheat, 

 flour, meat, and- vegetables, supplied to the Commissariat 

 here and at Launceston during 1848, giving the averages 

 as under : — 



Wheat 45. Zd. per bushel of 60 lbs. 



Flour ^eiO Qs. Qd. per ton. 



Fresh Meat 2^d. per lb. 



Vegetables 6s. Id. per 100 lbs. 



Table 47 states the number of cattle and sheep imported 

 from Port Phillip and Port Albert during 1848, being 4284 

 of the former, and 39,673 of the latter. Taking the average 

 prices realised at sales by public auction, this imported 

 stock cost the colony upwards of £40,000. A sum of 

 £10,000 was paid in freight, however, for their conveyance, 

 to the obvious benefit and encouragement of the colonial 

 shipping. ImpoHtic as are discriminating duties, and 

 injurious, as putting restrictions upon commerce, it is con- 

 tended by some, that, in the instance of foreign cattle and 

 sheep, the high rate of 15 per cent, duty has been actually 

 productive of advantage in affording a measure of protection 

 to our stockowners, who complain that they cannot enter 

 into competition with their transmarine neighbours from 

 their comparatively limited range of pasture, and the much 

 less favourable terms upon which they hold their licences of 

 occupation. It is by no means suggested that this inequality 

 should be redressed by the assimilation of the rent of our 

 Crown Lands to the merely nominal sum paid in the other 

 Colonies : such a course would be attended with positive 

 injustice to those settlers who have bought and paid large 

 sums for their land ; besides depriving the Colony of the 



