Page:Handbook of Western Australia.djvu/83

Rh which the Surveyor General had to divide the country into counties, townships, and sections of equal fixed dimensions, and by the selection of reserves for public purposes. Moreover, the sparseness of the population soon, provoked attacks from the natives, who, though originally peaceable and friendly, could not view with indifference the occupation of their hunting grounds by strangers without any compensation being made, and the boldest soon found able and dangerous leaders, so that the small military force in the Colony was found scarcely sufficient for the protection of life and property. Very severe measures were therefore adopted—many natives were killed and some executed. Besides these, other causes operated disadvantageously, for although property had been introduced to the value of £94,281 of which £21,655 was in stock, very much was unsuited to the wants of an infant Colony. Mr. Peel, Col. Latour, and others had not been so careful as they should have been in providing for the shelter, maintenance, employment, and supervision of the laborers introduced by them; the selection of sites for their residence was, in some cases, unwise, and the consequences were, in too many instances, distress and disorganisation, disease and death; hence arose disputes between masters and men; and, as hired labor was both scarce and dear, there was every temptation for servants to free themselves from their contracts, which, indeed, the masters were not always able to fulfil. The rapid increase of immigrants, and the general want of system and providential arrangements for their shelter and maintenance, exposed many to privation and hardships which they had not anticipated, and for which they were unprepared and unfitted. Food became scarce and dear. For the supply of animal food, flour, potatoes, &c., the settlers were dependent principally on the