VICTORIA.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7142, 1 September 1888, Page 6

VICTORIA.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sib, —On reading the Press this morning I observed an article headed " The Future of Victoria and Melbourne," penned by some gentleman named Mr Bendix Hallenstein, writing to the Daily Times, expressing an opinion regarding the future of Victoria and Melbourne. lam an old Victorian, and spent all my young and happy days in Victoria, then called Port Phillip. The difficulties the early squatters then had to go through would perhaps, If truly written, astonish many New Zealanders, The difficulty of getting the necessaries of life by bullock teams were really sensational, consequently we had to use energy. The engagements with the Aboriginal race would, if recorded, make an interesting novel. As young men we were compelled to plough up the magnificent soil of the western district, and that was poor workmanship, sow wheat, Sec, which yielded sixty bushels to the acre, and reap, thresh, and winnow by the wind of Heaven, The grain was ground in a steel hand mill, and the flour was handed over to the general hut-keeper to convert Into damper —the same, by the way, is baked in the hot ashes of the shee-oak timber, and perhaps the most delicious bread that anyone can eat. The climate is simply delightful, and for health and vigor, surpasses any part of the known world. The country is generally well watered and beautifully studded with timber, consisting of shee-oak, lightwood, with belts of honeysuckle; in fact, it really represents some wealthy gentleman's pleasure grounds, and the lovely groves of mimosa now in full bloom, and the fragrance in the early morning surpasses all description. In my opinion, in the immediate future Victoria will become the grandest country in the world for grain, sheep, cattle, and horses. It has already been proved that no country can surpass it.—Yours, Sec, G. D. Loc___t. Christchureh, August 30th, 1888.