JtjNE 2, 190i] THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
817 
ditions of life, and also to tlie unhealtliy lives 
di awn there for treatment, but tbe average rate 
of 11*96 for the quinquennial period 1896 1900 coni- 
paies very favourably with ihe other Australian 
Colonies. These figures are omitting consideration 
of the coloured races. As rcgirds Southern 
Queensland, there can be litile, il any, doubt of 
its healthy character, especiiilly to the west of the 
main range. Although there is rarely the 
extreme heat that is experienced in Southern 
Australia, it may be contended that some people 
feel the summers long and hot. Many, tlierei'ore, 
like to go to the south for a change, but equally, 
people in this country like to go to the Kivera 
or Egypt, and yet the cold here could not be 
described as unbearable or rigorous, as in the 
Arctic. These remarks apply also to Central 
Queensland, only in rather a greater degree, In 
Northern Queensland and to the uortli of Towns- 
ville, it would hardly be denied that continuous 
residence in the coast country docs have 
a relaxing effect, and that there the while 
race could not retain its vigour and 
robustness. Once on the high ranges parallel 
with, and not far from the coast, 1 believe living 
to be quite as healthy as in any other part. One 
morning at Herbartou my thermometer was down 
below freezing-point at my bedstead. Here (and 
this remark applies to the greater portion of 
Queensland) the air is wonderfully light and re- 
freshing. I'ossibly, there is some connection be- 
tween this atmospheric condition and the great 
rarity of sunstroke, for the head covering of the 
men in the bush always seemed a very moderate 
protection. To summarise, I believe that man 
can engage in almost any kind of lab;)ur, except 
such forms as cane-trashing and cutting, in the 
tropical regions without deterioration. But the 
female portion of the community must not be for- 
gotten. The more active ihe lif? so much tlie 
less does a woman suffer from the iieat. From 
what doctors and others have told me, without, 
I think, a dissenting opinion, on the tropical coast- 
lands or in the gulf-country white women cannot, 
as a rule, bring up families without injury to 
liealtli. On the other hand, it must be remembered 
that, if the climate in these small portions of the 
country has a deleterious effect for some, many 
have come to Queensland to save their lives, and 
this the dry air of the Downs and westera plains 
especially has done for them. Though it is too 
early to judge with certainty, one may reasonably 
assume that, with a climate very difl'erentf voni what 
obtains here, there will in time be some 
variation in stock, and the race may become of 
slighter build, but wiry. On the whole 
QUEENSLAND MAY BE PKOUD OF ITS CLIMATE 
when contrasted with other places of equal 
latitude elsewhere. With the exceptions 
before mentioned, the whole of the work 
is done by the white man. Townsv'ille 
is, essentially, an Anglo-Saxon town. Yet 
it is of the same latitude that passes through 
Mauritius, the heart of Madagascar, Beira, 
Matabeleland, and, to the east, Fiji, South Sea 
Islands, Chil', Bolivia, and wcli to the north of 
Kio Janeiro, in all of which places labour is 
carried on by coloured natives or half-breeds. 
In making this comparison, let it be rememl^ered 
that Townsville is only in the south-eastern corner 
of Northern Queensland, and that Croydon, 
Cooktown, and other places are nearer the 
p(juator, and yeti the mining and other wor^ia 
done there by white men. Whilst on this topic I 
may allude to a habit closely connected with the 
heaitii of a country. I mean tlie drinking of spii i- 
tuoiis liquors. Fiom my own observation and fi om 
the inforn)ation of oiher.--, f may say that, whilst it 
is visually said tlmt habits of ilrinkiug aie rile, it 
is certainly not the case, especially amongst the 
younger generation who are noticeably abstemious. 
This must, of necessity, have a benelicial efiect on 
the health of the population. I believe any dunk- 
ing that may have existed is chiefly due, in the first 
place, to the pernicious habit of " shouting." 
Those in the liigher ranks of life sliould now be 
able to meet without it being thought necessary 
to treat all aiound them, ar:d it should not be 
considered mean for a man to order only what he 
wants for himself. Another evil is to be found ia 
the bad quality of liquor sold in the back blocks. 
I was much struck by the number of liospitals 
scattered throughout the country. Till lecently, 
in this land, where we are now", hospitals were 
almost unknown outside the large towns. But in 
the most thinly populated parts of tiueenslaud a 
home for the sick ami injured is within reasonable 
distance, considering the vastncss of the territory. 
Great pride is taken in the maintenance of these 
hospitals, and money is rarely asked for in vain. 
These are managed by the subscribers, and ti e 
State contributes £2 for every fl locally raised. 
With one exception they aiv/ays seemed most 
carefully and excelleutiy managed, and Lady 
Lamington, who has interested herself in this 
subject, would testify to their being at least 
equal, if not superior, to the country hospitals sl.e 
has seen over here. Tlie best site in the town 
or township is well nigh always occupied by the 
hospital or by a Koman Catholic Institution, 
As regards the general advancement. Queens, 
land moves of course on similar principles to those 
of the rest of Australia, and it Is curious to note 
the divergent lines of development followed by 
the two great branches of the British race. Ia 
the United States of America 
INDIVIDUALISM HAS HAD FULL PLAY. 
A man there is self-reliant, and ever 
believes he will himself make his way. In 
Australia the Government and the laws are 
looked toil! every department of activity for sup- 
port, direct or indirect, and the laws passed aie 
usually opposed, as much as possible, to the accu- 
mulation of capital in the hands of the employer. 
This policy may procure a more dead level of the 
diffusion of wealth, and ensure the happiness of 
the greater number, to a wider extent, than that 
sudden creation and disappearance of fortunes in 
the United States, but it necessarily checks that 
great amount of enterprise, development of 
resources, and increase of wealth that so pronii- 
ueutly characterises the progress of the latter. 
Another minor comparison I used to note, and 
the difference is, pci haps, due to the same causes. 
This consists in the essentially peaceful character 
of Australian development. As a nation, it is, 
of course, without parallel. No country 
has ever attained such prosperity unchallen- 
ged by any foe from within or without, But 
in private individual life the inhabitants, too, 
themselves, except when the great rush was made 
at the discovery of the goldhelds, have always 
quietly pursued ^their way, and weapons of offence 
have been unknown ; whereas in some of the 
American States, if not today, at any rate till 
quite recently, a revolver or a'bowie kuife was an 
essential part of a man's every day attirCf 
