Government is bound to provide for them. But a man out of work
in Sydney or Melbourne is a different animal from the same man in
England. If offered 4s. 6d. a day for stone breaking he will object
that it blisters his hands. He wants not merely work, but work that
he happens to like, and any politician who will provide him with
work of this kind will be sure of his vote at the next election.

It is difficult to get at the truth about the state of the labour
market in New South Wales. The newspaper accounts are most
conflicting. One writer asserts that any man with honesty and
determination can make his living at any time; another speaks of the
numbers of skilled artisans who cannot get employment. But if some
of these latter have the fastidious tastes above mentioned, it will
be seen that the destitution is to a certain extent artificial. But
reasoning on these subjects speedily merges in the ocean of Free
Trade _v._ Protection, upon which I will not further touch. Sydney
is the oldest town in the Colonies, having been founded in 1788. It
has quite the air of an old established place--the abode of men for
generations. The principal streets run East and West the whole
length of the town down to the harbour, a distance of nearly four
miles. In the centre is Hyde Park, a prettily laid-out piece of 40
acres, but the most beautiful spot is the Botanical Gardens, which
slope down to the water's edge. Especial pains have been taken to
render them an admirable specimen of horticulture. Nearly every tree
and shrub that will grow in this climate is here to be found. Near
them is the "National Gallery," where may be seen many paintings
that a few years ago graced the walls of Burlington House. The chief
attraction during my visit was a copy of Miss Thompson's, "Roll
Call," said to be by the artist herself. L4000 was to be given for
it on proof of its authenticity, but it did not require the eye of a
connoisseur to judge that such proof was not likely to be
forthcoming, and so it proved. It is evidently an inferior copy by
another hand. The principal residential street is Macquarie Street,
which faces the public gardens. Six years ago an Exhibition was held
in these gardens. The building was mysteriously burned down, no
doubt by incendiarism, but it was never found out, though it was
jokingly said it was the act of some inhabitant of Macquarie Street,
for the building quite obstructed their view.

I have before said that rents in