AUSTRALASIAN STATISTICS.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2657, 12 October 1882, Page 3

AUSTRALASIAN STATISTICS.

The Australasian statistic* for the year 1881, prepared by Hr Henry Heylyn Hsyter, give in brief compass an impressive and comprehensive view of the geographical extent, population, agricultural and pastoral production, trade, revenue, expenditure, public debt, railways and telegraphs, of these colonies. The smallest colony in area is Tasmania, with its 26,875 square miles ; the largest. Western Australia, 975,920 square miles; then follow South Australia 903,426, Queensland 668,224, New South Wales 309,175, New Zealand 104,403, Victoria 87,884, and Tasmania 26,375 square miles. Though having, excepting Tasmania, the smallest area, Victoria, owing to the discovery of her rich goldfields in 1851, has the largest population, but she will soon have to yield the premier position in this respect to New South Wales, the figures being at the close of last year respectively 882,232 and 781,265. The older colony has a slightly larger absolute annual increase by births, and a very much greater increase by immigration than has tho younger province. Victoria has the smallest birthrate of all thes: colonies, namely, 31.24 per 1000 of the population, and Now South Wales tho largest, 38.13 5 the other colonies follow in this order—New Zealand, 37 96 ; Queensland, 37.19 ; South Australia, 3711; Western Australia, 33.86; and Tasmania, 33.40 ; the average for Australasia is 35.52. New Zealand had, at the close of last year, a population of 500,910; South Australia, 293 297; Queensland, 226,968; Tasmania, 118 923 ; and Western Australia, 32,359. The population of Australasia last year gained about 60,000 by excess of births and over 40,000 by immigration. The Government immigration had fallen off in New Zealand and South Australia greatly, so that tho total gain of the former by passengers inwards was 1616, and our excess of arrivals over departures was under 3000. The throe million people in Australasia cultivate over 7,000,000 acres, of which nearly 3,400,000 Bores are cropped with wheat. Victoria had 1,821,719 acres under cultivation, and South Australia 2,613.903 acres ; Victoria had under wheat 926,729, and this colony 1,768,781; but while we had nearly twice the area sown with wheat our total yield was more than half a million bushels loss, being 8,087,032 bushels, while tho Victorian crop amounted to 8,714,377. But Victoria produced 3,612,111 bushels of oats end 927,566 bushels of barley, while this colony yielded no more than 32,219 bushels of the former cereal, and 137,165 of the latter. New Zealand, from 365,715 acres produced 8,297,890 bushels of wheat; from 243,387 acre* reaped 6,924,848 buehele of oats; and from 29,808 acres gathered 664,093 bushels of barley. Of the other colonies Now South Wales is the largest wheat producer. The agricultural returns from that colony were not received when these statistics were compiled, but the wheat yield for 1880 1 was 3,708,737 bushels; oats, 366,121 bushels; and barley, 160.062 bushels. Tasmania last harvest gathered 977,365 bushels of wheat, 783,129 of oats, and 102,475 bushels of barley. In South Australia last year drought reduced the yield by at least one-half, and the extension of agricultural settlement into country unsuited for farming purposes has very greatly brought down our average. Wa have the consolation of knowing, however, that owing to our climate, in no other largo producing colony can the wheat harvest bo gathered so cheaply as in South Australia, but on the other hand wo are learning from experience that if agriculture is to flourish here the farmers must not depend so exclusively as hitherto on wheat. The production of cereals in Queensland and Weetern Australia is very small ; together these colonies do not produce 200,000 bushels of wheat. South Australia is the largest grower of hay, the total quantity being 240,287 tons. The total yield ot potatoes in all the colonies is 372,375 tons, Victoria being the largest producer and Western Australia the smallest. Other products of the field and all garden produce are unmentioned except as occupying over two million cores. It is to bo presumed this area includes artificial grasses. Probably before long such staples as wine, sugar, cotton, and toba;oo_ will be thought worthy of special notice in a compendium of Australasian statistics. In live stock New South Wales distances all competitors, her sheep numbering over thirty-two millions, the total for Australasia being close upon seventy-four millions. New Zealand has nearly thirteen millions, Victoria over ten millions, and 3outh Australia 6,810,856. The sheep of the other colonics are numbered as follows : —Queensland, 8,292,883; Tasmania, 1,847,479 ; and Western Australia, 1,267,912. In cattle, Queensland leads the way with 3 618,513'; then follow New South Wales, 2,680,040 ; Victoria, 1,286,267; Now Zealand, 698,637; South Australia, 314.918 ; Tasmania, 130,526 ; and Western Australia, 63,009. Tbe sheep of Australasia number 73,964,047 ; cattle, 8,691,910 ; horses, 1,246,691; pigs, nearly a million. It would have been well had a place bean given in these statißtiosJto tbe yield of minerals, amounting in value to several millions last year, fora representation of Australasian prosperity cannot be oompletewithout sumo notice of this great source of wealth. The public revenue of these colonies is £20,613,672, of which over seven millions are raised by taxation ; tho trade last year exceeded £100,000,000; tho colonies possessed between five and six thousand miles of railway open, and over a thousand miles in course of construction. They had nearly 30.000 miles of telegraph line, and nearly 50.000 miles of wire open. Tho shipping Inwards and outwards totalled between nine and ten million tons. Our national debt, independently of municipal liabilities, ia not less than a hundred millions, or about £33 per head of the Australasian population. This surpasses by more than 50 per cent, the Englirh national indebtedness; but our borrowed money has not best blown away from tho council's mouth, but is represented by substantial wovka of which the greater part are directly reproductive. Faw people but those accustomsd to give close attention to the matter realise the true position of these colonics and the enormous progress they have made, principally during the last thirty yearn. Our external trade is greater than that of the United Kingdom was fifty years ago. The Australasian public revenue is equal to that of several of the smaller kingdoms of Europe combined Tha total population fo nob far short of three millions, about tho number of people in the United States of America at the time they cut the painter. Fortunately there is in Greater Britain no provocation t-c separation from the mother country, and no

grander aspiration than to remain while in ttm full enjoyment of constitutional liberty pa rt of the glorious empire on which the sun nstver sets. In the days of their weakness, beifore the establishment of responsible government, discontent was rife throughout thjsse colonies j now as we increase in numbers and in strength, we grow more and more attached to the Imperial connection, and are speculating fondly and confidently up on the period when the close union of England and the states she has founded will securely bid defiance to any combination of foies the world can furnish. —“ South Australian Chronicle.”