VICTORIA, CALIFORNIA, AND THE LAND QUESTION
to the Editor of the Argus.
Sir - A very interesting fact, of great importance to this colony, has been unfolded to me by the compilation of numerous returns, by which to establish statistical tables, to show the position of Victoria, as regards its natural sources of wealth, compared with the principal countries of the world; and as a general knowledge of the above-mentioned fact may have some influence upon a question much debated, and at present the order of the day in this country - viz, the Land Question - would you have the kindness to allow me to lay the [?] is question before the public?
Victoria and California have about the same sources of natural wealth, extent of population, quality of soil, climate, etc and are yet in such a different state that California increases her internal wealth about £5,000,000 per annum more than Victoria, because the former had become not only independent of foreign agricultural produce, but exports in the amount of £2,000,000 per annum; while the imports of Victoria, as late as last year were about £3,000,000. Some allowances have already been made to this state of things from different quarters, but as some to my knowledge were sustained by sufficient statistical returns, I thought it would be in the public interest to show this fact in its whole extent, by undeniable figures.
In California, according to the message of the Governor of the State, showing the agricultural productions of that country for the year 1857, there were:-