Page:The founding of South Australia.djvu/139

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A CROWN COLONY.
133

other non-agricultural labourers, females accompanying the males in equal numbers.

"2. To render the acquisition of land by the emigrant labourer neither so easy as to prevent a proper combination of labour nor so difficult as to remove too far the reward of industry and frugality.

"3. To induce capitalists to emigrate to the colony.

"Resolved,—

"That, with a view to the determination of the price of land, it appears desirable, in the first instance, to consider what sum per acre would produce the first result, viz., the required emigration fund, and then to modify this sum, if necessary, with reference to the second and third results. It is therefore necessary to ascertain,

"(1) The number of labourers required to cultivate in the most advantageous manner a given quantity of land in the colony.

"(2) The proportion of artisans and other non-agricultural labourers.

"(3) The cost of the passage of such persons to the colony.

"Resolved,—

"That in the opinion of this committee two hundred acres will probably require four male agricultural labourers.

"That the same quantity of land will require one male artisan or other non-agricultural labourer.

"That two hundred acres of land should therefore be sold for a sum sufficient to carry out ten persons—half of them men and half women.

"That the cost of passage will probably be about £15 per head.

"That, in order to produce the first result, viz., the required emigration fund, two hundred acres of land should therefore be sold for £150, or at the rate of 15s. per acre.

"That, taking into consideration the second and