Moreover, in the contest between the people and the local authorities in Australia, the rightful prerogative and dignity of the sove- reign was unfairly dragged into the arena to aid petty functionaries in their assertion that all minerals and waste lands belonged to the crown, who might retain, grant, or sell them at its pleasure ; to this it was replied, that the monarch had no personal interest in the waste lands or in the gold which they con- tained ; that the crown, through its minis- ters, was simply a trustee for the public, There was a teetotal society ; but the view of the new association was to check the evil by the with- drawal of men from the temptations of the tavern by the substitution of other attractive places of re- sort, where either business can be transacted, or social intercourse enjoyed, or the excitement and pleasure of the most interesting kinds of reading who had a right to demand the alienation of the land and all its products on equitable terms; and, that although a discretionary power existed, there could be no final re- sistance, otherwise the public would be wronged under cover of a trusteeship created for its benefit.

Should the crown prevent the beneficial occupation of land and the digging of minerals, which it was unable to accomplish of itself, or only authorize the public to do so on condition of fulfilling some unreasonable requirement, then the vis Populari would be brought into collision with the via Regia, and general and immediate interests would be found stronger than in- dividual claims or obsolete prescription.

While the government was disputing with the miners as to the rate of taxation, and grasping at an unnecessary amount of re- venue, the golden age of profits to bullion dealers and mercantile traders was fast passing away; as regards the former, gold which at first was only 55 to 60 , now rose to 76 and 77 Gd per oz.

; and the latter experienced, owing to enormous im- ports, a fall in commodities of 50 to 100 per cent.

: flour, for instance, was at so low a figure that some thousand barrels were shipped for England, and manufactures were forced on neighbouring markets below cost price.