Life and Progress in Australasia

Impressions of the Australasian colonies, published in 1898 by Irish politician Michael Davitt, after a seven-month tour of the region.

Michael Davitt (Author)

9781108039406, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 29 December 2011

504 pages, 2 maps
21.6 x 14 x 2.9 cm, 0.64 kg

Michael Davitt (1846–1906) was a prominent and influential figure in Irish politics in the nineteenth century. A fervent supporter of Irish independence, he was imprisoned more than once in England, but later became a Member of Parliament for Irish constituencies. In this book, first published in 1898, Davitt records a journey of seven months through the Australasian colonies, noting his impressions of the areas he passed through and discussing the political and social norms across the different regions. He examines land laws in many of the areas and describes the different industries then emerging. He also reports on the treatment of aborigines, ranging from 'exterminating the aborigines' in Tasmania to the 'efforts to protect them' in Western Australia, and finally focuses on prisons and prisoner welfare across the colonies he visited. This book offers a wealth of information on many aspects of nineteenth-century Australasia.

Preface
Part I. Western Australia: 1. Throwing the wrong man into the Suez Canal, and a moral
2. En route for Coolgardie
3. Opposing views on the Coolgardie goldfield
4. Visit to the 'Londonderry' and 'Bayley's Reward'
5. Coolgardie politics
6. Impressions of Perth
7. The Western Australian legislature
8. The Aborigines
Part II. South Australia: 9. From Albany to Adelaide
10. Impressions of Adelaide
11. The constitution of South Australia
12. Land taxation
13. Impressions of the country on a journey from Adelaide to Broken Hill
14. Broken Hill and its silver mines
15. Other industries
Part III. The Murray River Labour Settlements: 16. Origin of the labour settlements
17. Lyrup
18. Pyap
19. New residence camp
20. Review of 'the big experiment'
Part IV. Victoria: 21. From Adelaide to Melbourne
22. Australians at home
23. Culture and education
24. Colonial federation
25. Some anecdotes
26. The Victorian constitution
27. The leading Protectionist colony
28. Victorian land legislation
29. A trip through the centre of Victoria
30. The Bendigo Benevolent Asylum
31. Echuca
Part V. New South Wales: 32. From Melbourne to Sydney
33. Some talks with shearers
34. Approaches to Sydney
35. Sydney's racial mixtures
36. Sydney's sensitiveness about its founders
37. Ireland and the infant colony
38. The evolution of self-government in Australia
39. The Sydney legislature
40. New South Wales legislation
41. The rise of the New South Wales Labour party
42. Over the Blue Mountains
43. A squatter's home and opinions
44. From Sydney to the border of Queensland
Part VI. Queensland: 45. Voyage from Sydney to Brisbane
46. The Queensland legislature
47. Country and goldfields
48. Voyage to Rockhampton
49. Mount Morgan
50. Kanaka labour
51. Australian scenery like Australian hospitality
52. Charters Towers, its goldmines and prospects
53. Queensland land laws
54. Queensland's resources and industries
55. South Queensland
Part VII. Tasmania: 56. From Melbourne to Tasmania
57. The John Mitchel legend
58. The country between the cities
59. Population
60. 'Van Diemen's Land'
Part VIII. New Zealand: 61. A voyage with Mark Twain
62. From Tasmania to New Zealand
63. Dunedin
64. A drive to Westland
65. The people of Westland
66. New Zealand's capital
67. New Zealand school system
68. The labour laws of New Zealand
69. The story of the colonization of New Zealand
70. New Zealand land laws
71. Among the Maoris
72. Summary of impressions of New Zealand
73. Australasia and new homes
Part IX. Australasian Prisons: 74. Compared with British prisons - New Zealand
75. Tasmania
76. Queensland
77–78. New South Wales
79–80. Victoria
81. South Australia
82. Western Australia
83. The romantic escape of John Boyle O'Reilly
84. The rescue of the Fenian military prisoners from Fremantle.

Subject Areas: Australasian & Pacific history [HBJM]