“Bad cookery diminishes happiness, and shortens life.”—­Wisdom of ages.

In all probability there are but few who have ever had their attention called to certain figures duly set forth within the pages of that mine of information, namely, Mr. T. A. Coghlan’s wealth and progress of new south Wales.  Nevertheless, the facts associated with these statistics so directly concern our Australian daily life that they deserve to be widely known.  That portion of the work in which our food supply is considered, therefore, is well worth referring to.  It will he found that the consumption of butcher’s meat by each inhabitant is greater than in any other country in the world.  Thus the amount of meat required for each member of the community every year in New South Wales is 201 lbs.; in Victoria 275 lbs.; whilst in Queensland 370 lbs. are called for.  On the other hand, in the United Kingdom only 109 lbs. are similarly needed; in the United States of America 150 lbs. while the figures for the different European countries show an average of no more than 70 lbs.

Another article of commerce which is consumed to excess in all parts is tea.  As I have previously stated, it is estimated by Coghlan that the four million people in Australasia use more of this beverage than all the millions who inhabit continental Europe, that is, if Russia be excluded; but he further points out that in Australia itself the use of tea is universal.  The tables show that for each inhabitant New South Wales requires annually 7.8 lbs.; Victoria, 7.7 lbs.; South Australia, 6.5 lbs.; and Queensland 8.4 lbs.; and moreover, that West Australia attains a maximum with 10.6 lbs.  Now, according to Mulhall, in his dictionary of statistics, the amount of tea consumed annually for each inhabitant in the United Kingdom is only 5 lbs.; and for the United States of America the proportion is but 1.5 lbs.

A survey of these figures consequently must compel us to admit that Australia is inhabited by a people largely carnivorous and addicted to tea.  Surely not one person in a thousand would advocate such a diet under any circumstances.  Is it not astonishing, therefore, that innutritious fare of this land is still tolerated in Australia?  Facts such as these call for the most serious consideration, since they must irresistibly affect the national life; but though it may seem strange, these matters have never received the notice they stand in need of, if, indeed, they have ever received any notice at all.