THE ANNALS OF AUSTRALIA.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7242, 31 December 1888, Page 5

THE ANNALS OF AUSTRALIA.

Never have the Australian colonies been so much talked about as they bsve during the past year. The celebration of the Australian Centenary w»s, in itself, an event that could not fail to excite attention, and the contemplataoa of the progress made by this offshoot of the British nation during it* first century, naturally led to reflections as to what might be the growth of the colonies daring €he next hundred years. From the moment that thought entered the British mind it cannot be said that there was »ny disposition -shown to under-rate tie importance of the colonies. Without any direct representation in the ordinary constitutional tease, the Australian colonies all at once acquired an enormous influence in the councils of the British* Government, and found themselves able to exert a considerable effect on the Ministerial policy. This was particularly shown in the case of the Chinese question and the appointment of Governors. The arrival of unusually large shipments of Chinese at the principal Australian ports aroused a tCrong* feeling of antipathy and some alarm among the European colonists, sad at Melbourne and Sydney the authorities took upon themselves the high-handed course of preventing the unwelcome immigrants from landing. At tie same time anti-Chinese riots occurred in Queensland, and some of the Mongolian residents were roughly handled. Naturally this aroused considerable indignation on the part of the Chinese authorises, who complained of treaty obligations being disregarded, and the Home Government, which had strong reasons for wishing to remain friendly with China, and which, of course, was particularly anxious not to offend the Australian colonies, found itself in a considerable dilemma. Sir Henry Barkbs who took a very high-headed coarse throughout, telegraphed to the Colonial Office a dispatch which, in plain terms, insisted that the Mother Country should obtain a treaty from China which would enable the immigration of Chinese into Australia. to fee absolutely prohibited. Needless to say, the chances of amicably negotiating any such treaty had been seriously imperilled, if not altogether destroyed by the violent manner in which the local authorities had taken the law into their own hands. This the Home Government did not fail to point oat, but nevertheless «et itself aa best it might to open djjAomatic negotiations with the Emptfer*s advisers, which negotiations are ttEB in progress, apparently having teen attended as yet with no very great success. The other question whteh raised a species of conflict with Home Government was of hardly less importance, seeing that as at first pot, it seriously affected the relations of the colonies with the Mother Country. A vacancy occurring in the Governorship of Queensland, through the death of Sir A. Musgrayb, the Borne Government appointed Mr. H. A. Governor of Newfoundland, to the position, knighting him m honour of the occasion. Sir EL A. Blaks, it appeared, had been eagaged in carrying out the poficy of coercion in Ireland, and this by bo means tended to ingratiate him with the Irish residents of Queensland. Sir T. MoLl&aith, again, has a weakness for posing as the apostle of the " Nationalist" movement in Queensor aaore properly the antiNafaonafist movement* since its effect, if logically carried out, would be to separate Queensland from the great British nation, and to make of it an flbacure little principality, endeavoring to straggle along on its own eeooußt. It seems to have occurred tc 5 hbn that this was a favorable' opportunity to assert himself, and accordingly he intimated that Queensland would not have Sir H. Bbtxs at any price, that it would not pay his salary if he were sent, and tie* Queensland expected to be consulted in the appointment of Governors Of that colony. Lord Kkctspord, who Wβ considerably taken aback by this demonstration, rejoined that if the power of appointment of Governors Were to be taken out of the hands of iile "Crown, it was virtually "cutting the painter"—the colonies would be left practically independent. At first he ■eemeddeterminedtomaintainresolutely tike position he had taken up in regard to sending out Sir H. A. £lakb. It was tken that the increased influence of the colonies on the course of Home polities became once more strikingly apparent. Some of the other Australasian Governments—our own included —while not going the same length as Sir T. McIiBACTH, urged that the colonial Governments ought to know tmofficially who ~ was going to be .appointed Sβ Governor, so that if there w«te any strong objection to be nrgerl against him, it might be brought Wider the notice of the Home Government A large section of the English Press supported this view, and urged tfcat an appointment obviously so distasteful as that of Sir H. A. Blakk to Queensland ought not to be insisted upon. Lord KmrrsFOBD thereupon, to a large extent, gave way. It was arranged that Sir H. A. Blakb should give up the Queensland appointment and .go to Jamaica, the Governor of the latter pkee, General NoeatAS, a very distinguished Indian officer, being cent to Qqeeualand. Lord KjnrrsFOßD, howctw, QeeJ'nea to formally consult with *k*Qßeeosknd Government on the wfcieet. Sir T. M'luutth, in the meantime, had resigned on the ground of ill-health, and "his successor, Mr. «Q«biai>, seemed inclined to object •*«ato General Norman because the wwg»lgDvemment had not been con•eaea beforehand Iα the matter. As

nothing has been beard on the Bubject lately, it is to be hoped better counsels have prevailed.

The celebration of the Australian Centenary proved a brilliant success. It was kept up in Sydney early in the year with great rejoicings, the principal features being the opening of the Centennial Park, a" State banquet, and brilliant illuminations and fireworks. Subsequently it wae celebrated on an even more imposing scale by the Melbourne Exhibition, which has been the means of bringing together such an assemblage of treasures of art and triumphs of manufacturing skill, and »och a gathering of distinguished visitors as have never been collected on this side of the globe before.

The year 188S will also be notable in Australia as the year of " booms." First, the marvellous richness of the Broken Hill silver mines Bet everybody mad with excitement over mining shares. Brokers and speculators made handsome fortunes in a few months. A case was recorded of a man who early in the year was hardly worth twopence, and who in a few months could sign a cheque for £40,000, with the certainty of its being honored. Shares in the Broken Hill mine, which had cost the original holders £19 apiece, cold freely at over £400. One man made £3000 profit on shares within an hour. With facts like these being constantly dinned in their ears, it is no wonder that the people of Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide became drunk with a desire for speculation. Of course, a relapse came at length, and many people became penniless as speedily as the fortunate ones had become rich. Scarcely had the mining boom subsided, than a " land boom " eet in in Melbourne on an even more delirious scale. The inflation in prices was purely fictitious, resting simply upon paper, and now a reaction has followed far more severe than that which succeeded to the mining mania. To make matters worse, during the closing months of the year nearly the whole of the continent has been afflicted by a very grievous drought. Fortunately, this has at length broken up, but the crops have, to a very large extent, been ruined; stock have perished by hundreds of thousands, and the effect on the pastoral and agricultural interests must be very severe.

The year 1889 opens nnder rather depressing circumstances for our Australian neighbours. Their land possesses a marvellous power of recuperation, however, and the close of the year may find them once more in a buoyant and prosperous condition. Our readers will heartily join us in the hope that when our next retrospect comes to be written it may find our Australian cousins once more on the flood-tide of prosperity.