Southern Australian (Adelaide, SA : 1838 - 1844), Tuesday 29 August 1843, page 2


LOCAL fri ?W S,

MR. JACOB MONTEFIORE.

WE b -g to direct the attention of the public to a letter from the above gentleman, which we publish, in this column. We are glad to see that the colony has such, a true and zealous friend, especially in these times when her friends at home appear to be so few, and, of these, fewer still who exert themselves in her cause, and, above all, as Mr. George Fife Angas, one of the colony's most active and persevering advocates, is about to leave the scene of his useful labors. The letter of Mr. Montefiore is very gratifying in more senses than one : it pleasingly acknowledges the hospitality and gratitude of the colonists

towards one who had served them. It shews the opinion i of a shrewd, practical man of business, as to our stability and progressing prosperity, and exhibits the colony in a favorable point of view, beside countries of very old standing, and which have been nourished by the expendi-ture of vast sums of the public money of Great Britain. Mr M. was on the eve of sailing for Madras :

TO THE COLONISTS OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

GENTLEMEN-I should feel myself wanting m gratitude were I to take my departure from the shores of Aus-tralia, without expressing to you my thanks for the great and unmerited attention I received during my limited but pleasant sojourn among you, and cannot but regret my hurried departure prevented my personally expressing those thanks, and in warmer terms than lean employ in epistolary correspondence.

To each and all of you, from the worthy representative of Majesty, to those whom fortune has less favoured, I beg to tender, through the present medium, my warm and sincere acknowledgments.

My fleeting visit to your promising colony will ever prove a source of pleasing reminiscence, and when I

meet the rold faces that all of us sometimes encounter in our commerce with the world, I shall reflect with delight on the warm hearts and kind attentions of the

inhabitants of South Australia.

Having been one of the first whose humble, but I trust not useless, efforts aided in the formation of your infant colony, I hope I do not lay myself open to the charge of improper pride, in expressing my extreme gratification at the success that has attended your exertions in the raising of an antipodean home ; at the prosperity (though for awhile clouded) that lies before you, and at the boundless prospect of wealth that shines forth in the dim future. Though distress has for a short period over, taken you, and discredit been passed upon your small community, I know, in my own instance,unfortunate!y but

too weil, mac your sister settlements nave oeen visiteo

by events of a nature much more calamitous, and that an equal, if not greater, cloud of darkness has attended

their endeavours.

Young as you are, you are already outstripping the neighbouring colonies, in supplying less fortunate climes with the necessaries of life, and I say again, that I feel proud you should be willing to attribute any portion of your rapid advance to those who with myself endea-voured to create the germ of prosperity among you.

Identified with your efforts from their commencement, I deplore as much as any of you the distress that has lately prevailed, but this, I feel assured, can be but tem-porary, when I behold the strenuous exertions you are individually and collectively making to rise, like the ph« nix of old, with fresh vigour.

The energy you are exhibiting cannot fail of success, and having gained by lessons of the past experience for the future, you will ere long, I am persuaded, prove one of the most successful of the Australian colonies. Your land is rich and productive, and asks but the industry of man. Calculated as your country's alike for agri-cultural and pastoral purposes, and rich in mines, your prosperity must be entirely dependent on your own

exertion.

Whilst there is none in England to represent you, and not oue to advocate your cause, need I say how happy I shall esteem myself if my bambie services can at any time prove of avail in forwarding your interests, advancing your

prosperity, and promoting your welfare. Your advocate j in heart, I will strive to be 60 indeed, and by keeping you

Iinformed from time to time and watching over all matters

interesting to you, endeavour to perpetuate that friendly , feeling at present existing between us, while at the same j time I shall be obliged for any information you can render me touching your future wants and prosperity.

And now., gentlemen, once more farewell ; with anxious solicitude I look forward to your future success, which it shall be the continued aim of my poor services to promote. Reiterating my thanks for your attention, my gratitude for your hospitality, and with earnest wishes for the welfare of

each of yon.

Believe me, Gentlemen,

Your sincere well-wisher, and obliged and faithful servant,

Sydney. JACOB MONTEFIORE.

WE observe from our advertising columns another speci-men of the untiring enterprise and energy of our colo-nists. The Joseph Albino has been chartered by Capt. Finnis, for a speculative trip to the coasts of New Zea-land, and he is to load with South Anstralian producebeing the tenth cargo, principally of wheat, flour, and other agricultural produce which has left our ports du-ring this year. Without meaning to flatter, we must say, that the present shipment could not be in better hands ; and as New Zealand has got £60,000 allowed her by Parliament, and South Australia nothing, it is only fair that the latter should get some of the benefit in this, the only way left for her, which is certainly after ali the most honorable, and we trust that Captain Finnis will accord-ingly get a good price for his cargo.

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. At a meeting of the Ploughing Match Society last week. J. Frew, Esq., in the chair, it was resolved that the title of the Society should be changed as above. The reason stated for the change, we understand, is, that the society contemplates other objects besides ploughing matches ; among which, the most prominent will be a show of cattle, and of the produce of the soil, and the distribu-tion of prizes. lu the mean time, active preparations are being made for the ploughing match, which, as appears from the advertisement, will take place on Friday first at section No. 1, district A, immediately opposite the market place at Thebarton. Already it is ascertained that there will be 20 competitors for the prize ; and as the ploughs are to be drawn by bullocks,

we anticipate a fine exhibition of a truly colonial scene. The founders of this useful society are much to be com-mended for their public spirit. We are informed that the members are almost exclusively composed of "country people," and that they have entered into the affair with heart and soul. We have always thought that the previous attempts to form Agricultural Societies were chiefly baulked through the apathy of the agricul-turists themselves, and they now seem to be aware of this. We rejoice in the formation of this society, as a step in the right direoiion. There is not one fact more certainly established than the immense benefits conferred upon our native land by Agricultural Societies, and we therefore feel confident that if the farmers wish to con-

sult their own interests, they will vigorously and per-severingly support this, infant institution.

T is extremely gratifying to observe that the natives now employ themselves usefully in a variety of ways. They have for years past been hewers of wood and <lrawers of water to the white inhabitants, and to them i large number of the poorer classes, who are not able ! io buy a load of firewood, are indebted for their supplies I of that necessary article. In addition to these occupa-

tions, however, the natives have lately commenced others of a superior character. They ¿re now to be seen con-stantly coming in from the country with loads of mimosa bark, and with brooms of their own manufacture, which i hey dispose of in town, and earn a more comfortable subsistence than hitherto. They are now thoroughly I drilled into our colonial maxim of''no work, no pay." They seem quite proud of, and delighted with their success in their new employments. The natives now understand the va^ue of our smaller coin pretty well j they make their bargains in many instances with a spirit of fairness and moderation, and strictly fulfil their en-gagements when (hey are properly treated. It is a proud boast for South Australia, that while the settlers in the other colonies have, by giving the natives intoxicating liquors, and initiating them in other hurtful vices, de-based them even more than they were in the state of nature, the colonists here, with few exceptions, have abstained from supplying them with ardent spirits, and have generally treated them well.

i WE earnestly call the attention of all classes of the

community to the necessity of registering births, deaths, and marriages. We are sorry to understand that of the births, for instance, which occurs, not one half are re-corded, so that it will be impossible to ascertain from the register at what rate our population is increasing. In many points of view statistics of our population are of importance to be known, both here and at home, and we trust that the omission only requires to be pointed out to the public, in order to its being supplied. The ¡ Registry Office is at the Government buildings, I Victoria-square.

CORPORATION.-Messrs Lambert and Son having taken possession of the premises in Hindley-street, occupied as a Council-room, it became necessary to remove the furniture and other effects belonging to the Corporation. This was accordingly done, on Wednesday last, when the Town Clerk removed the bonks, documents, and effects which were in his custody, and the Mayor di-rected the messenger to take charge of the furniture. In this slate matters must remain fora few weeks, when it is expected his Excellency the Governor will receive despatches from England, in reference to the Petition of the Corporation fir an amended Municipal Act.

THE following are the Colonial Estimates for the year endine31 March, 1844 :-Bahamas,£3410; Bermudas, £4049 ; Prince Edwards Island, £3070; Sable Island, Nova Scotia, £400 ; Sierra Leone, Gambia, and Gold Coast, £l 3 680 ; St. Helena, including allowances to late servants ot East India Company, £t 1,500; Western Australia, £778.5; Port Essington, £1468; Falkland Islands, £4350 ; New Zealand, £61,093 ; Heligoland, £1023 ; Governors and others, West Indies, £18,667 ; Clergy, North America, and New Zealand, £12 190; Indian Department, Canada, £18,895 ; Emigration, £l 1,286; Justices in the West Indies, Mauritius, &c, £49,700; Negro Education, £l8,000.