<source><g=m><o=u><age=un><status=2><abode=un><p=nsw><r=spb><tt=sp><3-059>
Gold Anniversary Dinner
Mr. T. S. Mort in rising to propose the toast to "The Commercial, Pastoral and Agricultural Interests of the Colony" said that although the discovery of our gold was of the very highest importance, these interests were no less important to New South Wales. ... The Commercial Banking Company's recent dividend, amounting to no less a sum than £100,000, must convince everyone connected with mercantile affairs that the gold discovery promised to make the merchants of Sydney like those of the once magnificent cities of the Mediterranean - "Merchant Princes" (Loud cheers). ... Who could affix a limit to the resources of Australia? (Hear, hear). Who that had sons before the gold discovery had any other resources than to send them to tend sheep in the interior, or to send them to Europe? Now a new state of things had arisen, and the colonists of New South Wales were about to build a new world. They would encourage, nay would raise, manufacturers, engineers and other skilled persons and what was done in the mother country would soon be done here. Consider the genial climate, the rich arable soil, the plains of pasturage, the wonderful mineral treasures of New South Wales, and then ask whether this indeed is not "the promised land". (Hear, hear). ... To another, and to a most important point, he would next solicit attention. He had adverted to the good effects of the gold discoveries upon the colonists in their capacities as citizens and fathers. He would now emphatically refer to the value of their discovery in making good Christians. [183] (Hear). All the missionaries from all parts of the world who had so zealously laboured in the Islands of the South Seas for many years have done less than must inevitably be done in a very short time by the gold discoveries upon the great continent. Gold is the mainspring of commerce; commerce is the forerunner of civilization; and civilization is the handmaid of Christianity. (Loud cheers). Air - "Railway Galop".
<\3-059><\g=m><\o=u><\age=un><\status=2><\abode=un><\p=nsw><\r=spb><\tt=sp>