THE PROGRESS OF NEW SOUTH WALES.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 3, Issue 111, 15 November 1879, Page 2

THE PROGRESS OF NEW SOUTH WALES.

Very opportuuolj, when our Exhibition wius nponud, tho Itogistrar-Gcnoral published it .series of comparative statistics, whioh amply justify tho position assumed by tbis colony in holding the first Australian International Exhibition. Now South Wales is not only tho oldest but she it tho richest of all the colonic?, anil honco is the natural centre of Australian commercial life. Last year her revenue was tho largest, though iho is tho most lightly taxed. In the imports aud exports Victoria appears ahead of her, but it is only at first sight; tho total valuo of our trade was £27,73*,762, against Victoria's £31,087,587, but the latter is swollen by tho. inclusion of the Eivurina tr&do, which appears twice over as export and import. If tbis element, amounting to £1,000,000, w«r» eliminated, it would W found,that, 100 trade of Victoria, ia belbw that 'of Now South Wales; and th«mk««ww«t..*o■ ■ tbxnfcthut the Incur indoatrist owfctv wr th* diitoronce, for without wo aio doing quite as well ftp miniuVturcj. Whuu w» turn to our stoolc,- **

easily distance alt competitors, Wehave more hpspestaaa Victoria. We havemore tlto ro#y cattle as Victoria. .- W»1mT»& many »heep as Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia.;.;. :.W»',o'i*© .»» many pigs as tho*« three colonies. We' cannot apeak in glowing terms of tho acreage under crop, for we have found pastoral pursuits so remunerative that up to the present there has been comparatively little attempt at agriculture except on the rich alluvial flats; but yliat we have done has been so successful, our soil has proved: so fertile, that iu produce wo are scarcely behind the colonies of Victoria and South Australia, which have respectively 1,609, 278 and 2,011,319 acres under orop against our 013,642. ,Of our telegraph lines we .may •well be proud, for wo havo as many miles of wire as vast Queensland and Victoria together, or.Queensland and South Australia. In railway construction, wei are not as forward, but when all lines in course of construction at the end of lost year are completed, wo will have 941 miles against Victoria's 1114. Either, colony has proposed a further thousand miles, and it remains to be scon which will most expeditiously push forward its. projects. In only one respect must we confess ourselves below our southern neighbours. Our populatiou is decidedly small, but even in that respect, we are creeping up with slow but sure steps. Thus wo can maintain, with very good justice,- our claim that New South Wales is the premier colony. But we would only assert this claim, in playful rivalry with our very good friends on every side of us. It is in the growth of Australia that we chiefly rejoice, and it is to a united Australia that we look forward with fond anticipation. These great and progressive countries are united iu close bonds of common good. South Australia, for instance, during the past year has " forged ahead" to the first place iu tho value of trado per head of population. Well, this is a position which we should like to occupy, but wo have no childish jealously, and rejoice greatly at the success of a colony [which has always recognised the primary position of Now South Wales. As Australians wo can point with pride to these figures illustrating our growth, and we should bo glad if they could be widely spread iu a popular form among tho farmers of England, who are now discontented with their lot. Under tho same glorious flag, under a freer constitution and! a sunnier. sky r they may share in prosperity founded upo#a solid basis. Tho wealth of. Australia, does not depend upon success in manufacturing competition; or upon tho evanesoeut changes of fashion, but is. built upon the most solid of all foundations, the produotivcuess of a generous soil.