15
temperature in the sun during the twenty-five years ended with
1882 was 179º. The mean atmospheric pressure, noted at an
observatory 91 feet above the sea level, was during a period of
eighteen years 29.93 inches ; the average number of wet days
was 131, and the average yearly rainfall was 26 inches.
CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT.
9. The legislative authority in Victoria is vested in two Legislature.
Houses of Parliament—viz., the Upper House or Legislative
Council, consisting of 42 members returned in fourteen provinces,
each member being elected for six years, and one member for
each province retiring every two years in rotation, but being
eligible for re-election, a small property qualification existing for
both electors and members ; and the Lower House or Legislative
Assembly, which consists of 86 members, elected for three years,
returned in 55 districts or electorates. There is no property
qualification for members of this House, and every male of 21
years of age or upwards, untainted by crime, is allowed a vote.
In the year 1883 the electors on the rolls of the Legislative
Council numbered 98,735, and those on the rolls of the Legislative
Assembly, 196,607. Of the whole population of the colony one
in every four is an elector for the Lower House, and there is a
member to every 9,983 persons. If Victoria were to be repre-
sented according to population in the same proportion as the
United Kingdom, she would, instead of sending 86 members to
Parliament, return only 16.
10. The executive power is in the hands of a Governor ap- Executive
pointed by the Crown, who acts under the advice of a responsible authority.
Ministry, consisting of nine members.
11. Municipal or local government
is almost universal Municipal
throughout Victoria, about eighteen-nineteenths of its whole govern-
area being divided into urban or rural municipalities. The former
are called cities, towns, and boroughs, and the latter shires. They
are regulated under an Act of the Legislature, each municipality
being a body corporate, with perpetual succession and a common
seal, and capable of suing and being sued, and of purchasing,
holding, and alienating land. The cities, towns, and boroughs
number 59, and the shires 119. They have power to levy rates,
and are also subsidized by the State. Their peculiar functions
are to make, maintain, and control all streets, roads, bridges,
ferries, culverts, watercourses, and jetties within their respective
boundaries ; also to regulate under proper by-laws the markets,
pounds, abattoirs, baths, charitable institutions, and the arrange-
ments for sewerage, lighting, water supply, prevention of fire,
and carrying on of noxious trades. Together, they contained, in
1882–3, 896,585 inhabitants, or ninety-nine hundredths of the
total population. The total value of the rateable property in
municipalities was assessed in the same year at £91,792,547, and
the annual value at £7,433,812. Rates may be levied as low as
ment.


24
Fruit.
Vines.
38. All kinds of English fruits grow luxuriantly in Victoria.
Apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, greengages,
cherries, currants, gooseberries, mulberries, raspberries, straw-
berries, and almonds have been planted extensively; but medlars,
filberts, and chesnuts up to the present time not so largely. All,
however, thrive well and produce heavy crops of fruit. Grapes,
oranges, lemons, and all the melon tribe also grow and ripen
beneath the Victorian sun, attaining an excellence which is
paralleled in but few countries. Twenty-one thousand acres
were returned in 1883–4 as under orchards and gardens, but this
does not nearly represent the whole, as notice is not generally
taken of orchards and gardens (other than market gardens) not
attached to farms.
39. Victoria is doubtless destined to be a great wine-producing
country. The products of her vineyards have obtained honorable
distinction at all the recent exhibitions, and have been especially
reported on for their purity, flavour, and natural strength. The
wine industry received a temporary check some years since in
consequence of an outbreak of the phylloxera vastatrix, but this was
found to be only confined to one district in the colony, where it
was promptly stamped out by the eradication of all the vines
within a radius of 30 miles. Great efforts have been made to
improve the quality of the Victorian wines by better methods of
manufacture and judicious blending ; skilled vignerons have also
been introduced from Spain, France, and Germany. Victorian
wines are now not only extensively used in Australia but are being
largely sought after in the United Kingdom, the Continent of
Europe, and British India. Viticulture has been most profitable
to those who have undertaken it, and it is believed a great future
awaits this industry. The manufacture of raisins has as yet only
been tried upon a small scale, but so far as it has gone the result
has been quite satisfactory; 7,000 acres were under vines in
1883–4, and the wine produced in the previous season amounted
to over 700,000 gallons. Besides the grapes made into wine,
about 17,000 cwt. were sold for table use.
40. Olive trees grow rapidly and bear largely in Victoria, and
where the manufacture of olive oil has been tried an excellent
article has been produced. The trees abound in some localities,
and the industry is beginning to excite some attention.
41. It has been found that hops, but little inferior in aroma to
the best Kentish, can be grown in Victoria ; and the comparative
failure for several successive seasons of this crop in the United
Kingdom has given a considerable stimulus to the industry.
Rather over 1,000 acres were under hops in 1883, which produced
upwards of 9,000 cwt. This sold at such high prices that many
farmers in localities suitable to the growth of hops have com-
menced its cultivation, and although the price has fallen, con-
sequent upon a renewed supply in the Old World, the industry is
still a most profitable one, and it may be expected that considerably
larger figures will appear in the returns of future years.
Olives.
Hops.


30
the colony, but abound in districts which are still thinly peopled.
The leather made from their skins is soft but strong and durable,
and that of the smaller varieties resembles kid. Quite recently a
demand has sprung up for their tail sinews for use in surgery.
The opossum, an animal of arboreal habits, thicker but not so
long as a rabbit, is found in large quantities in most parts of the
colony; it is, however, ruthlessly pursued for the sake of its skin,
of which handsome and comfortable travelling rugs are made. The
native bear is a kind of sloth, not much larger than the opossum
and of similar habits. The wombat is a clumsy animal with
a blunt head, dark in colour, as large as a middling-sized pig,
living on roots and burrowing under ground. The bandicoot is
shaped like a kangaroo, but with much shorter legs in proportion
to its size, the head being like that of a rat. There are besides
the native or ant-eating porcupine and the platypus—the latter
being an amphibious animal resembling a mole, but with a duck
bill. Of birds, the best known are the emu or Australian ostrich;
the so-called “native companion," a large species of crane ; black
and white cockatoos; parrots of various kinds; the splendidly
plumaged lyre bird ; pigeons of several varieties; snipe, quail, and
plover ; wild ducks, geese, and black swans ; the magpie or organ
bird, noted for its musical cry; the laughing jackass and the mopoke;
also several species of owls and kites. Under the head of reptiles
there are several species of lizard, the largest being the so-called
“iguana,” which sometimes attains a length of 6 feet ; the death-
adder, and the tiger, black, brown, and whip snakes, all tolerably
common and most deadly ; also the carpet snake, a small species
of python, the only non-venomous snake found in Victoria.
The crocodile, which abounds in the streams and rivers of the
northern part of Australia, is never found within a thousand
miles of Victoria. The best edible sea fish are the whiting,
flounder, garfish, and sole (scarce). Of less delicate flavour are
the kingfish, schnapper, bream, flathead, rock cod, pike, stranger,
mullet, pilchard, trevalli, salmon trout, and barracouta. Sharks
of various species abound on the coast, rendering bathing dan-
gerous in unprotected places. Of river fish, by far the largest
is the gigantic Murray cod, which sometimes attains a weight
of 50 or 60 lbs., and is occasionally even heavier. The Murray
perch and Murray bream range from 5 to 8 lbs. in weight, and,
as well as the cod, abound not only in the Murray but in all
the streams to the north of the Dividing Range, and are brought
in quantities to the Melbourne markets. In the streams to
the south of the main range the most esteemed fish are,
the blackfish, ranging from 2 to 5 lbs. ; a small species of
grayling, locally called the herring, which rises readily to a fly,
but which has been somewhat scarce of late years; the Gippsland
perch, which also rises to a fly; and the small mountain trout.
There are also quantities of eels in these streams, but, strange to
say, none are to be found in the streams to the north of the
range. A large marine crayfish is very common, and is daily


37
India it varies from seven shillings and elevenpence to eight
shillings and fourpence; and to the United States, from twelve
shillings and eightpence to fourteen shillings and twopence. In
the case of telegrams to places on the Australian Continent, names
and addresses are not charged for ; to places in Tasmania they are
not charged for unless they exceed ten words, but all words above
that number are charged for as part of the message. In the case
of telegrams to New Zealand, England, the Continent of Europe,
India, and the United States, the names and addresses of both
sender and receiver are charged for as part of the message.
EDUCATION.
70. The Melbourne University was established under a special University.
Act of the Victorian Legislature, which was assented to on the
22nd January, 1853. This Act, as amended by an Act passed in
1881, provides for its endowment by the payment of £9,000
annually out of the general revenue ; also, that no religious test
shall be administered to any one to entitle him to be admitted
to the rights and privileges of the institution ; also for the elec-
tion, by the senate, of a council consisting of twenty members,
to hold office for five years, of whom not more than three may be
members of the teaching staff, and for the election by them, out of
their own body, of a chancellor and a vice-chancellor; also for the
constitution of a senate, consisting of all male persons who have been
admitted to the degree of master or doctor, and for the election by
them annually of one of their body as warden, as soon as the superior
degrees should amount to not less than 100. This number was
reached in 1867, and the senate was constituted on the 14th of
June of that year. The Council are empowered to grant in any
faculty except divinity, any degree, diploma, certificate, or licence
which can be conferred in any university in the British dominions.
Royal letters patent, under the sign-manual of Her Majesty Queen
Victoria, were issued on the 14th March, 1859, declaring that all
degrees granted, or thereafter to be granted, by the Melbourne
University should be recognised as academic distinctions and
rewards of merit, and should be entitled to rank, precedence, and
consideration in the United Kingdom, and in British colonies and
possessions throughout the world, just as fully as if they had been
granted by any university in the United Kingdom. The founda-
tion stone was laid on the 3rd July, 1854, and the building was
opened on the 3rd October of the following year. On the 22nd
March, 1880, the University was thrown open to females, and they
can now be admitted to all its corporate privileges, except as
regards the study of medicine. Affiliated to the University is a
college in connexion with the Church of England, and one in
connexion with the Presbyterian Church. The latter is called
the Ormond College, after the Hon. Francis Ormond, M.L.C.,
who has given nearly £25,000 towards its erection and endow-
ment. The University Hall, built at a cost of about £40,000,


56
OCCUPATIONS OF THE PEOPLE OF VICTORIA, 1881-continued.
Males.
Females.
Occupations.
All Ages.
Under
20
Years.
Over
20
Years.
All Ages.
Under
20
Years.
Over
20
Years.
498
...
656
25
9
158
5
2
20
5
2
3
I
I
1,364
189
7
I
1,175
2
33
:
...
2
2
4
49
16
in
5
I
168
28
140
9
5
130
870
454
85
17
740
454
62
17
::::
:::
23
2
2
35
35
...
...
...
...
.
8
939
747
161
26
II
8
913
736
I2
12
6
94
67
I
5
483
276
207
3
3
Manchester warehouseman and assist-
ants
Manufacturing chemist
Manure manufacturer dealer
Map and print seller
Mason, pavior
Mat, matting-maker, dealer
Mattress, bedding-maker
Mechanic, manufacturer (not otherwise
described)
Mechanical engineer, engineand machine
maker, agent, dealer (see also workers
in metals)
Medical man
student
Medicine-others connected with
Member of local council (not otherwise
described)
of Parliament (not otherwise
described)
Mercantile pursuits—others engaged in
Merchant ...
Messages-others connected with
Messenger, porter (not Government or
railway)
Metals other than gold and silver-
others working and dealing in
Midwife
Miller, flourmill worker
Milliner, dressmaker
Millwright
Miner (other metals or minerals)
Mining—others engaged in ...
Minister of the Crown
Modeller
Music master, mistress
Music-others connected with
publisher, seller
Musical instrument maker, dealer
Musical instruments—others connected
with
Musician, vocalist
Navy officer
petty officer and sailor
Newspaper proprietor, editor, publisher
Nightman, scavenger
No occupation stated
Nun, sister of charity, &c.
Nurse (not domestic servant or servant
of charitable institution)
Office keeper, cleaner, porter, &c. (not
under Government)
443
123
320
5
IOO
3
2
100
558
468
I
90
I
I
11,517 5,180
6,337
...
6
I 22
3
3
I
68
46
828
4
24
190
II
25
80
9
5
63
40
706
4
15
185
II
20
60
732
2
154
578
...
I
I
I
I
5
20
...
...
...
32
...
254
75
21
54
33
279
35
396
263
50
6,430
I
25
I
17
3
2
1,214
34
379
260
...
:::
::
I
I
48
5,216
1,482
159
бо
4
1,422
155
...
6
6
1,061
42
1,019
20
2
18
33
33


IN D E X.
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Aborigines
Acclimatization Society's Gardens
Ages
Agriculture
Amusements ...
Animal life
Area of Victoria
Ballarat ...
Banks
Bark for tanning
Birthplaces
Births
Building societies
Cattle
Charitable institutions
Churches and chapels
Clergy
Climate
Conjugal condition
Constitution
Crime
Deaths
Debt
Deposits ...
Discovery of Victoria...
Dwellings
Education
Electric telegraphs
Emigration
Executive authority
Exhibitions to State-school scholars
Exports and imports
of wheat
Farms
Finance
Friendly societies...
Fruit
Games
Geelong
Gems
Gold
Goldminers
Government
Governor
Grazing
Habitations
History of Victoria
Hops
Horses
Hospitals
House rent
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29
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25
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44
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20
32
34
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Schools of Mines
Scientific societies
Selection of land
Sheep
Shipping
Ships to Europe
Silk culture
Sports
State education
Telegraphs
Tillage
Timber
Tobacco
Trade and commerce
Trees
University
Urban population
Value of agricultural and pastoral produce
manufacturing produce
minerals
Vegetables
Vessels to Europe
Vines
Wages
Water supply
Wheat
Wine, manufacture of...
Zoological Gardens
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By Authority : JOHN FERRES, Government Printer, Melbourne.