THE STATISTICS OF AUSTRALASIA.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3835, 31 October 1883, Page 3

THE STATISTICS OF AUSTRALASIA.

[To the Editor of the Daily Telegraph.] Sin, —I see that Mr Hayter, tho celobratcd Victorian statist, has compiled some statistics showing the relative positions of tho several Australian colonies from his point of view. I havo for some time past been of opinion that it would be far better to havo no statistics prepared at all then to havo them prepared in a very incorrect and misleading form. I am not disputing the correctness of Mr Hayter's figures ; he, as Government statist, has to compile his returns from data supplied to him by Government departments, and his calculations are probably right, if ho had only had started with proper information. Tho calculation as to imports and exports is grossly misleading and incorrect. I havo called the attention of the Government to some glaring inaccurices in our statistics, particularly in the value of our exports. The published statistics of last year return the whole of the greasy wool shipped from this colony for tho year 1882 as of the yalue of tenpenco and four-tenths of a penny here, and the whole of the wheat exported was 4s 7d per bushel. How do these figures tally with tho wool returns ? We all know that the principal portion of our last season's wool has been sold in London under 9d ; from this is to be deducted freight and all charges. The position of this colony as regards the large public debt is no doubt different to that of our Australian neighbours. Our debt is much larger and our population much less than Victoria and Sydney. It may bo that the amount sot down £5S 8s Id as the amount per head is within tho mark, but what does it prove ? It certainly, by itself cannot prove anything as to tho position of the country. Would any business men or financial institution necessarily consider that large indebtedness showed of itself that the business was not prospering. Against this must bo put the assets of the country; its its unsold lands, and the ability of the people to pay necessary taxes. The question of imports and exports is only a part of a calculation in order to arrive at anything like precision as to the position of the country and its inhabitants ; it would be necessary to havo a return of all moneys remitted from this colony to other countries and the amount received from other countries; it wouldalso bo necessary to have an estimate every year of the value to sell of all property, real and personal, and an estimate of the indebtedness of tho people, both privately for local works and every other liability. I am well aware this could not be obtained. Some weeks since I saw a return of exports and imports for the United Kingdom for the past six months, and I was surprised to find that oven there tho imports exceeded the exports to the extent of, I think, £131,000,000 a very much larger proportion than wo have here. There cannot, I think, bo any doubt that the incrcaso in the value of la-ncls in this colony -within tho lust twenty years is much more than tho wholo of the public debt Wo all know districts which were not worth more than £20,000 some ten years since which are now worth nearly half a million, and the same increase, ' although possibly not to the same extent,

has been going on all around. It will not require much argument to prove that the ability to pay taxe-i is much greater when property has increased in value. The time will shortly come when the liabilities per head for public debts will be reduced. The population of this colony is increasing very fast, and in the course of a few years probably even the Government statist will show that in his opinion (based as I think upon an unsound foundation), the position of New Zealand, even financially, is not one that should cause alarm.—l am, kc, F. Sutton. October 31, ISB3.