■ QUEENSLAND.— NEW SOUTH WALES. 407 



European wares. Burketown had even been almost entirely abandoned, owing to 

 tbe insalubrity of the neighbouring marshes. But the discover}^ of the Croydon 

 gold-fields made in 1885 immediately attracted thousands of speculators and 

 colonists to these districts. Point Parker, at present the only seaport of the whole 

 region, is sheltered from the northern winds by the Bentinck and Mornington insular 

 groups. 



Queensland has not yet severed the administrative ties connecting her with the 

 British Government. The Governor and Legislative Council, that is, the Upper 

 House, are still nominated by the Crown. The members of this chamber numbering 

 thirty-six, are named for life, while the Legislative Assembly, or Lower House, is 

 elected by universal suffrage for five years, and receives no payment for its services. 

 The armed forces comprise a standing corps of 1,650, about 600 volunteers, and 136 

 cadets. A gunboat and a few marines are charged with the defence of the coast- 

 line, some 3,000 miles in length. 



New South Wales. 



This colony, the oldest on the continent, has recently celebrated its first 

 centenary. But it bears a name which recalls its dependence on England, and 

 which certainly presents a somewhat cumbrous and inconvenient form. Hence it 

 has been frequently proposed to change its official designation for the simple title 

 of " Australia," just as the United States have claimed the exclusive right to the 

 name of "America." But the old designation still holds its ground, owing chiefly 

 to the protests of the other Australian states against tbis assumption. Doubtless 

 there was a time when New South Wales really comprised all the European settle- 

 ments on the mainland and neighbouring islands. But after the foundation of 

 West Australia, and the separation of Victoria and Queensland from the mother 

 colony, this state was reduced to little more than one- tenth of the continent. 



Yet even this space remains out of all proportion with its relatively slight 

 population, for its superficial area is still far more than twice that of the Britisb 

 Isles. The southern frontier towards Victoria and on the Pacific slope, follows a 

 straight line traced across mountains and valleys between the south-eastern head- 

 land of Cape Howe and the Pilot Mountain on th.e main range. But farther 

 inland the common limit of the two colonies is indicated first by a headstream of 

 tbe Murray, and then by the Murray itself as far as 141° east longitude. Towards 

 Queensland the border line is marked by a mountain range beginning at Danger 

 Point, and then in the Darling basin by the course of various rivers as far as the 

 29° south latitude, which constitutes a conventional frontier across the boundless 

 inland plains. 



Since the abatement of the gold fever, which gave a temporary ascendency to 

 Victoria in population and commercial importance. New South Wales has resumed 

 its natural position at the head of the Australian states. She is no doubt less rich 

 in gold ; but the jdeld of this metal is yearly losing its relative importance in the 

 general economy of the continent, while wool, which has most contributed to the 



