846 
tHl TROI»^CAL AGRIOULTURIST. 
[May 2, i8 92. 
(2) The proposed Stock Tax to be put on all Block 
imported into Yiotoria, 
At the late disoueaion on Federation in the Sydney 
Parliament, no one seemed really anzions for its 
speedv arrival, The fact ia Federation means a 
Bm,'ootiiing over of intercolonial jealousies, forgiving 
the past, and altogether starting a sort of ideal Millen- 
nium, hand in hand, offering the cheek to the 
smiter, and one's coat to the robber. But that is 
not real solemn Federation that was brought about 
in the United States by the hard cement of blood- 
shed. It is a stern fact that Federation will never 
oome until all Australasia is roused to a common 
eenae of danger in the panic of a common cala- 
mity ; as in England, the Unionists, the Irish Party, 
the Conservatives, though all in antagooism, will all 
combine against a common foe. But here, there being 
no outside foe, save the British money-lender ; the 
individual colonies are all taken up with intercolonial 
jealousies, Victoria says that Queensland and New 
South Wales shall not flood the country with cattle 
and horses. New South Wales, on one aide, sneers 
at "V ictoria's protective precautions and schemes; and, 
on the other, objects to Queensland employing black 
labour. She also wants to claim the whole of the 
Murray. South Australia objects to Victorian unem- 
ployed labourers flooding her labour market; while 
poor 'Western Australia is struggling to maintain its 
dignity as an independent colony. I have already 
written to you about " Kanakas " and black labour 
for Queensland. This stock tax deserves mention. 
At a late meeting the farmers and graziers have 
insisted in leaguing themselves in favour of the im- 
position of a tax of £2 per head on all imported 
cattle, 2b or Ss per head on all sheep, and £4 on 
all horses. The go-ahead Victorians, who are a match 
for the other colonies in the 'outeness and push, not 
content with being the only colony which insisted 
Protection, are now going farther ; and the graziers 
and farmers want to benefit too. Great henis of 
cattle and mo^s of sheep and horses have been 
pouring in from New South Wales, but Queensland 
especially. The great runs in the north pour their 
huge wild cattle, fattened on the way, into Victoria, 
and the farmers and graziers find that breeding 
cattle and horses and also sheep, does not pay at all ; 
so they are going to keep out imported stock by 
heavy taxes, and thus raise the price of food. But 
now the butcher cornea in. and other interested parties, 
who say " Let 's have the ad valorem duty (that ia 
duty according to value) ; others say, "No, let 's have u 
by weight and weigh on the American weigh-bridge 
system." But the majority saya : " Eather value ; 
look at all the valuating experts required to dis- 
tinguish between 'store cattle,' and ' fut oattla' 
and also oi\x'ar wevjht ; look at the expense, time, 
and trouble in weighing up huge herds of wild Queens- 
landers," Thus they are goingto tne general election. 
No that " National Cslftmity " must come and reduce 
all to a common level of mutual protection, and not 
" Protection " against each other. " In union there is 
Strength" You have heard that remark before, I daresay. 
My experience of station life continues. My hands 
healed all right in time, and I am more comfort- 
able when sitting down. The wild careering on a 
fiery " mustang " champing the bit and tleck- 
iuK its flanks with the foaming spume from 
its month. The Crimean shirt, and neckerchief 
loosely tied, broad palm-leaf hat, huge spurs, and 
dread stockwhip. The bearded tanned face and stern 
voice full of strange oaths, the oamp6re, the " billy," 
the " jumper," the blackfellow. No, that is not 
the real picture. Ordinary English dress, not ever 
riding breeches. Quiet ambling along fenced paddocks 
or a perfectly broken trained station horao that almost 
knows how to open a gate or cut out eoue rams. 
Deep thought, anxious thought furrowing the brow, 
as the rider slowly ambles along under a fierce sun. 
No wonder he is silent and grim. Rabbits; tanks 
drying up; and sheep and cattle getting " bogged " in 
the still, Boft mud; foot-rot; market affected by 
Melbourne depression ; absence of rain ; bush ftre.s ; 
cost of rabbit-proof fencing round the run; and so 
on ; — then a rousing up and a smart canter to leave 
atra cura a little way behind. Now we will see a 
number of graceful emus moving rapic^y there the 
timber with a peculiar indulating body fixed on long 
stretching legs; now we see a number of those ridi- 
culous kangaroos who always excite my derision. 
They " loup " away. The Scotch word for leap is 
more suggestive. After a little we draw rein among 
a fine lot of cattle who atare a*; us with bright honest 
but not altogether pleased eyes; or perhaps we may 
find oureelves in a head of hotsus who are decidedly 
more inquisitive and demonstrative and make ad- 
vances literally and figuratively. Then out of the 
timber with the cool waters (Y) of a mirage ! Then 
back to the comfort of the station, where cool drinks, 
and bunches of delicious grapes, and a cold shower- 
batb, refresh and brighten the dusty sunburnt rider. 
Rabbits a'C truly a curse. I have been wan- 
dering on foot with mv gun; and though told 
that they are not worthy of powder and shot, 
and though I fully iutend to shoot ducks or teal, 
yet, the unblushing effrontery of the rabbit actually 
washing its complacent month with its paws or 
peeping calmly out of a burrow, or waiting at the 
entrance of a burrow till the very last possible moment, 
— I say though I did not intend to waste ammunition, 
yet I was wroth like old Noah (no it was Jonah who 
was angry with the creeper). Stop — Why is Jonah like 
the manager of a Ceylon Tea Estate ? Give it up ? 
Well, because — ha 1 ha ! he was angry with the 
creeper ! ! You can see that I made this up, by the 
context, as the padres say. To return to our sheep. 
I fooud a ram among the ewes one day, but tbat was 
not all. I found eight ewes among the rama. That 
was very wrong anl forbidden, but still though naughty 
it was nice and natural. It's the way all over the 
world. When all the romance and gilt wears off what 
do you find station life to be ? The gentleman-appren- 
tice or " jackeroj " works with the men, wire fencing, 
post-hole digging, or any job going. He gets what the 
men get, a pound a week, and his "tucker;" but that 
is only wh. n he has picked up some experience and 
has his hands in a proper " horny " ooudition. He 
is called " Mister," and is respected by the men, if 
he does not pitch to (anglice yarn with) the men, and 
get familiar and exchange stories and jokes. He may 
ride out with one of theharn's with a small hoe like 
a " quintanny " over his shou der and dig up " burrs" 
(plants obnoxious to a v.ool grower on account 
of the burrs) in the heat from 7 to 11. This 
" knocka the creases out," as you will believe. 
Some youths pay £200 a year to do this, and gain 
" colonial experience." In a big station there will be a 
number of " jackeroos," who live in the barracks and 
call at the " hou'e"on Sundays. The station hands' 
motto is "Go day, come day, God briHg Sunday." 
Sunday is a day of rest to man and beast. The men 
wash their shirts and moleskins, or read up news- 
paper arrears, or visit the township for a " droppy," 
or to have a " pitch" (yarn). Only the Chinaman 
worka. It is enough to give one fever to watch this 
man. He is of course the gardener. He begins at 
daybreak, and leaves off with a sigh of regret at 
niglit, when it ge*^s too dark. I have an idea he 
splits firewood for the pumping engine at night. He 
swears in English at the township boys who oome 
for mulberries and figs. These boya are aa wild aa 
kangaroos, and provoke poor " Paddy." Then he 
swears in Chinese at the fowls who are always 
getting in somewhere through the fence, and then, 
working all the time, he begins to sing. I ri.se and 
no away, and the slumbering possum almost drops 
from its branch, and the wild ducks flap noiaily up 
the creek. It is far worse than Mark Twain's 
gondolier ; but it comes from a happy heart. Solomon 
had not studied the ant suflSoiently, and toik things 
for granted, when he told the sluggard lo " go to 
the ant." Why, some ants have slaves, and others 
hire sweet white bugs from which they tuck nectar, 
and get quite lazy and stupid. Solomon should have 
sa'd: "Go to the Chinaman, thou sluggard." The 
Australian workingman is down on the Chinaman 
on account of his cheap industry, but I have dis- 
