PROGRESS OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 96, 30 June 1843, Page 3

PROGRESS OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

The annual report transmitted to the Home Government by our local authorities conveys a detailed account of the statistics of the colony. Having been obligingly favoured with a perusal of the “ Blue book,” we are enabled to lay before our readers the most authentic information relating to the present position of the colony. The first subjects upon which inquiry is made are taxes, duties, &c. The return gives, duties on imported spirits, 4,493/.; duties on wines, 494/.; duties on all sorts of tobacco, 410/.; duties on goods sold by auction, 376/. ; duties on imported goods, 113/.; duties on the transfer of landed property, 34/. ; licenses to retail spirits, 717/.; licenses to practise in the Civil Court, 12/. ; licenses to sell by auction, 35/. ; licenses to keep dogs, 86/.; amount received for rent chargeable on goods and spirits waret housed under bond, 226/. ; postage of letters, 181/. ; amount received by the sale of crown lands, 767/. ; amount received by repayments on account of advances made to settlers in the early years of the colony, 283/. The total araounof nett revenue and expenditure for the year ending September 30, 1842, is—

Colonial Revenue ; with receipts in aid for the payment of salaries and contingencies charge- £ able on the Parliamentary grant . . 17,031 Total amount of Expenditure . . . 18,334

The ad valorem act lias only been in operation for a few months; and during the past year fewer deeds of grant have passed the Council, which will account for the small return under those heads. There is an increase in salaries of 544/. Some additional appointments were made, and a few additions to salaries, for which provision was made in the ordinance. An increase of outlay to the amount of 260/. was required in the Post Office department, as the conveyance of the mails has been extended to more distant places, where post-offices have in consequence been established. There is a charge of 276/. for the repairs of the colonial vessel in India. The Queen’s troops receive no allowance, quarters, or rations, chargeable on the colonial fund. There are military posts at several stations, but they are not at present under the control of the Ordnance Department, and there is no expense incurred on account of them by the colony. There is no militia at present established, but a small force is organized, at a charge upon the colony of 433/. The amount of expenditure incurred by Great Britain for the military protection, and in aid of the civil establishment, is 12,344/.

The public works in hand and completed are: approaches to the bridge at the flats near Perth, 365/. ; finished, and paid by the General Road Trust. St. George’s Church, estimated expense 3,500/.; expenditure up to the 20tli September 1,950/., partly by subscription and partly by Local Government: remains unfinished. Wesleyan chapel at Perth, finished; estimate 1,500/.; expenditure 1,350/.; the amount derived from subscriptions, and partly from the Local Government. Wesleyan chapel at Freemantle, 600/.; finished. 'Raised causeway over the flats, and near Perth, with additional biidge, estimate 850/.; expected to be finished in March. Public Jetty at Perth, opposite Williams-street, estimated expense 800/. ; defrayed by debentures issued by trustees of Perth town : finished. Jetty opposite Millstreet, Perth, finished; 4801. expended from private funds. Lighthouse, Rottnest, unfinished ; labour performed by prisoners. Raised foot-paths at Perth, and bridge over the Murray, unfinished. Total expenditure for the maintenance of the Civil establishment, Judicial Establishment, Ecclesiastical establishment, Contingent expenditure, and Miscellaneous, by Great Britain, 7,961/. Paid by the colony, 10,372/. RETURN OF THE POPULATION.

Total Males and Females. ... 3,476. , 1 There have been during the year 72 births, ! 38 marriages, and 29 deaths; of the latter ten t ' were taken off by accidents. , ; The number of churches and livings are as follow:—Perth, Rev. J. B. Whittenoom, Colo™ nial Chaplain; salary 250/., and 501. lodging; money. The church is in course of erection, and for the present divine service is performed, in the Court House, capable of containing from two to three hundred persons. Freemantle, Rev. George King, salary 300/. per annum, as a missionary attached to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. A church is under erection; in the meantime divine service is performed in the Court House. Guildford, Rev. J. Mitchell, salary 100/. from the Local Government, 100/. from the committee of the Colonial Church Society, and subscriptions in aid bv congregation 50/.; church erected capable of containing 150 persons. York, Rev. Mr. I Meares, salary 100/. from the Local Government, and 50/. from the congregation; a small church erected. Picton, Rev. J. R. Wollaston, salary 100/. from the Local Government, and 50/. from the congregation. Murray River, a small church has been erected at Pinjarra, and a chapel on Mr. Peel’s estate of Mandurah, where occasionally service is performed by the Rev. G. King, now residing at Freemantle. Chapel on Ellen’s Brook, Upper Swan, Rev. J. j Postlethwaite. There are two Wesleyan chapels. I The Perth chapel is capable of containing 300 I persons : 200 generally attend. At Freemantle fl the chapel will contain 200 persons : 70 rally attend. The Rev. J. Smithies officiates atfl both these chapels, assisted by local preachers. I There are no public or free schools in the! colony; but there are six or seven private! schools, to some of which the Government send! the children of persons unable to pay for theii! education, the expense of which amounted tefl 70/. during the past year. H No correct account can be rendered at pre-H sent of the quantity or value of the imports! The number of vessels arrived at FreemantlA from Great Britain and the British colonies, 27 ! from the United States, 10; total, 37 : at Au-I gusta and the Vasse, British colonies, 10! United States, 56 ; total, 66. The Americai! whalers select these latter ports to avoid the! harbour dues. At King George’s Sound, from! the British colonies, 6 ; the United States, 29;! foreign states, 5 ; total 40. Bunbury, Great! Britain, 3; British colonies, 3; United States,! 2 ; total 8. Making a grand total of 151 ves-! sels ; amount of tonnage, 32,496. I The principal exports have been made since fl September last, but, up to that time, about 1 85,0001 b. of wool had been shipped. 1 Return of the produce and stock throughout the colony the nature of the crop, the number of acres of land in each crop, and the number of stock :— Acres. Wheat 2,0391 Barley 444 Oats 129 Rye 711 4 Potatoes 28^ Turnips 12f Vineyards and gardens .... 291 > Total in crop.... 3,047 I-lorscs 1,069 Goats 5,613 Horned 4,122 Swine 1,713 Sheep 60,380

The produce of wheat is 20 bushels to the acre, barley 30 bushels, oats 35 bushels, rye 25 bushels, hay 2 tons. ’fl Price of produce:—Wheat 10s. per bushel, ■ barley 195., oats Bs., rye 10s.; hay 61. per ton ; potatoes 10/. per ton. Average prices of various produce and merchandise:—Horned cattle 18/., horses 40/., sheep 1/. 10s., goats 10s., swine 3/., milk Bd. per quart, butter 2s. 6d. per lb., cheese 25., .W wheaten bread 4d. per lb., beef 9d., mutton Bd., pork Sd., rice 2d., coffee Is., tea 65., sugar salt Id. m Wages for labour: —Domestic 18/. to 30/.; jfl predial from 24/. to 40/. Trades from Bs. to 12s. per day. ' H The crown lands granted and sold during the year have made but little return to the ■ revenue. But few purchasers have been found « at the minimum price of 20s. per acre, and the quantity of land disposed of for cash payment has been very limited. For the principal part 1 of the sales effected, remission certificates have I been received in payment. 1 In the York and Toodyay districts, with a population of 444 souls, 635 acres of wheat M crop alone have been brought under cultivation, J yielding about 12,700 bushels. This produce far exceeds the possible consumption in these \jj districts; an attempt has been consequently | made by a few persons to bring the wheat to | market in our more populated districts; the expense, however, of land carriage will deter v ) those who are prudent from entering upon this speculation, and we are inclined to believe they | will derive a greater profit, as well as contribute '

H' B ■ more immediately to the want of the geneial m market, by fattening their accumulated stock of Bswine upon their superabundant productions, m and curing them for sale.

Males. Females. Perth District 583 55 4 Swan above Peninsula .... 319 210 York District 236 74

Albany, King George's Sound . .;. ui - ft ;i Freemantle 192 ' Murray District , 19 : Canning ! ... 33 22* . : Toodyay ... 98 36 Wellington .. 258 113 Vasse ... 70 56 „ Williams 5 0: ’ Outlying Settlers ... 20 13* 2,1115 1,361 l