adult males over fifteen years of age, it is easily seen that the very large majority of the labouring class must be either convicts or expirees. The fact is that almost all the labour of the colony is carried on by their hands. A few free immigrants are found, chiefly artisans, but the "Government men" are so decidedly in the majority that the whole mass of labour in the country takes its colour and tone from them, and the free man is looked upon as an interloper, a trespasser on their rights, and disliked accordingly.
Here, perhaps, lies the great danger to the future of the colony. If anything should occur to cause an influx of free immigration, such as the discovery of a valuable gold-field, the convict element would soon lose its predominance and its influence amongst the labouring class, and a healthier state of things would arise. Otherwise an antagonism between labourers and employers will continue to exist, (for the children of the convict parents will always be kept at arms' length by the free settlers,) which may have bad effects in any period of distress or pressure such as a series of deficient harvests for instance, and may lead to mischief, as a similar state of things has done in Tasmania.
There are, however, many situations in which the free labourer would not be exposed to that association with the convict class to which he seems to be so averse, and I cannot but think that the feeling against Swan River on this account is an exaggerated one. To whatever land the emigrant may turn his steps he will find that in the earlier portions of his career he will meet with rough and distasteful companionship, probably quite as disagreeable
