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 which is the only sort yet discovered that can stand the summer suns without being burnt up into hay. Owing to this benevolent Indian turf, the young ladies of Perth are not deprived of the delights of croquet; but are able, like their English sisters, to maintain a club for that purpose, since the Governor has kindly permitted these gardens to be used as a sort of public park.

Close to "old Government House" stands the new abode of state completed about eight years ago, having been erected entirely by convict labour. It is a fine massive building, and externally appears well suited to the abode of a representative of the Queen. Complaints have been made that more money has been spent upon this new Government House than suited the interests of the colony, and that too large an amount of convict labour also has been devoted to a building which is, say the murmurers, too grand for the pretensions of the settlement; money which might have been applied to road making and other similar useful works. I cannot help believing that this grumbling has arisen because, as being built and finished entirely by convict labour, no profits whatever from the erection of this large work have flowed into Perth pockets, and no immediate advantage to Western Australia has been seen to follow the expenditure of so great an amount of both money and labour as has been required to complete the new structure. I suppose that the same feeling has been excited in all the colonies to which transportation has been attempted, and that Swan River has only followed an example set before her by other districts in looking at such questions solely from her own point of view, and in