CHAPTER XXIII

Australia and New Zealand

OCT. A darling climate. Drove to Agricultural College,
eight miles, open wagon, brilliant sunshine, ninety-two
in shade, but perfectly comfortable (dry heat). Just like
middle of June. Saw pupils shearing sheep. The fleece
when spread out is as big as a bedquilt. Tarstick for
wounds to heal them and keep off flies.

The sheep are shorn dirty—buyer prefers it—and the
shorn sheep looks as white as snow.

The 40 students work at all farming, every other day.
On alternate days study and hear lectures. They are
taught the beginnings of sciences (like chemistry, etc.)
that bear upon farming, and all practical farming.

Can't see that the British Govt. has any more authority
here than she has over the constellations. She seems
merely to furnish governors, and the colonies pay the
salaries. She has a veto, but she doesn't seem to venture
to use it. She can't even force a governor that the colonies
object to. She furnishes seven worships and the colonies
pay interest on their cost.

The railroad is the only thoroughly European thing
here. That is, they build fine stations and then have all
the idiotic European railway system in perfection—slow
trains, no drinking-water, no sanitary arrangements, every
conceivable inconvenience; an utterly insane system—the
jackass system.

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