The liabilities of the banks (exclusive of those to shareholders) were :— During the financial crisis of 1893 eight of the banks suspended, but re-opened shortly afterwards on a reconstructed basis, and financial operations soon regained their equilibrium. Of the Savings Bank of New South Wales, established in 1832, the Governor is president, and by him the trustees are appointed. Besides the head office in Sydney there are fifteen branches in the country districts. There are also post-office savings-banks. Statistics are given below of both branches of savings-banks : Year Number of Depositors Amount on Dec. 31 Average per Depositor There are also savings-banks in connection with Land, Building, and Investment companies. Agent-General in London. -Hon. Sir Saul Samuel, K. C. M.G., C.B.; Secretary, Samuel Yardley, C. M.G. Under the supervision of the Governor of New South Wales are NORFOLK ISLAND, 29° S. latitude, 168° E. longitude, area 10 square miles, population about 750; PITCAIRN ISLAND, 25° S., 130° W., area 3 square miles, population 120; and LORD HOWE ISLAND, 31° 30′ S., 159° E., population 55. Books of Reference. The Wealth and Progress of New South Wales. By T. A. Coghlan, Government Statistician. Published annually since 1889. Sydney. New South Wales Blue Book. Published annually. Sydney. New South Wales Statistical Register. Published annually since 1858. Sydney. Report on the Eleventh Census (1891). By T. A. Coghlan, Government Statistician. Sydney, 1892. Railways of New South Wales. Report of Commissioners. Published annually. Sydney. Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom with Foreign Countries and British Possessions.' Annual. London. Chalmers (R.), A History of Currency in the British Colonies. London, 1893. Lang (John Dunmore, D.D.), Historical and Statistical Account of New South Wales. 4th edit. 2 vols. 8. London, 1874. Liversidge (A., M. A., F.R.S.), Minerals of New South Wales, &c. London, 1888. Maiden (J. H., F.L.S., F.C.S., &c.), Useful Native Plants of Australia. Sydney and London. Reid (G. H.), An Essay on New South Wales. 8. Sydney, 1877 Woods (Rev. J. E. Tenison), Fish and Fisheries of New South Wales. 8. Sydney, 1882. NEW ZEALAND. Government and Constitution. The present form of government for New Zealand was established by statute 15 & 16 Vict., cap. 72, passed in 1852. By this Act the colony was divided into six provinces, afterwards increased to nine, each governed by a Superintendent and Provincial Council, elected by the inhabitants according to a franchise practically amounting to household suffrage. By a subsequent Act of the Colonial Legislature, 39 Vict., No. xxi., passed in 1875, the provincial system of government was abolished, and the powers previously exercised by superintendents and provincial officers were ordered to be exercised by the Governor or by local boards. By the terms of this and other amending statutes, the legislative power is vested in the Governor and a 'General Assembly' consisting of two Chambers-the first called the Legislative Council, and the second the House of Representatives. The Governor has the power of assenting to or withholding consent from bills, or can reserve them for Her Majesty's pleasure. He summons, prorogues, and dissolves the Parliament. He can send drafts of bills to either House for consideration, but in case of appropriations of public money must first recommend the House of Representatives to make provision accordingly before any appropriations can become law. He can return bills for amendment to either House. The Legislative Council consists at present of forty-six members, who are paid at the rate of 150l. per annum. Those appointed before September 17, 1891, are life members, but those appointed subsequently to that date hold their seats for seven years only, though they are eligible for reappointment. By an Act passed in 1887, the number of members of the House of Representatives was reduced to seventy-four, including four Maoris, elected by the people for three years. They are paid at the rate of 240!. per annum. The qualifications of electors for European representation are:-(a) Residence in the colony for one year, and in the electoral district for six months immediately preceding registration, in case of Europeans 21 years of age and upwards; (b) freehold estate of the value of 257.; (c) for male Maoris 21 years of age, enrolment as ratepayer, or freehold estate of the value of 251. In 1893 females were admitted to the franchise. No elector may vote in respect of more than one constituency at any election. For Maori representation every adult Maori resident in any Maori electoral district-of which there are four only in the colony-can vote. At the general election in 1890 there were 183,171 electors on the rolls for the electoral districts, which returned 70 European members to the House of Representatives; and at the election of the four Maori members for the districts under the Maori Representation Act, 7,086 votes of natives were recorded. The proportion of representation to population was in 1890 one European member in the House of Representatives to every 8,928 persons, and one Maori member to every 10,381 natives. The proportion of electors to population in the year 1890 was one to every 3-4 persons. Governor.-The Right Honourable the Earl of Glasgow, G.C.M.G., appointed Governor of New Zealand, 7th June, 1892. The Governor, who is by virtue of his office Commander-inChief of the forces, has a salary of 5,000l., which is to cover all expenses of his establishment and for travelling. The general administration rests with a responsible Ministry consisting of about seven members. The following is the list of the present Ministry :- Premier, Minister for Public Works, Minister of Native Affairs and Defence.-Hon. R. J. Seddon. Attorney-General, Colonial Secretary, and Minister of Marine.-Hon. Sir P. A. Buckley, K. C.M.G. Minister of Education and of Labour, and Commissioner of Stamp Duties.-Hon. W. P. Reeves. Minister of Lands and Immigration, Minister of Agriculture and Commissioner of Forests.-Hon. J. Mackenzie. Colonial Treasurer, Postmaster-General, Electric Teiegraph Commissioner, and Commissioner of Trade and Customs.--Hon. J. G. Ward. Minister of Justice and of Mines.-Hon. A. J. Cadman. Member of Executive Council (without portfolio) representing the Native Race.-Hon. J. Carroll. Member of Executive Council (without portfolio).-Hon. W. Montgomery. Speaker of the House of Representatives.—Hon. Major W. J. Steward. The control of native affairs, and the entire responsibility of dealing with questions of native government, were transferred in 1863 from the Imperial to the Colonial Government. In 1864 the seat of the general Government was removed from Auckland to Wellington on account of the central position of the latter city. LOCAL GOVERNMENT. New Zealand is divided into counties and boroughs for purposes of local government. The counties are subdivided into ridings. County councils are empowered to constitute road districts on petition being made. Besides the road districts, which are very numerous, there are town districts and river and harbour boards. The ratepayers in the road districts of a county are qualified as electors for the purposes of the county council, and the members of each road board are elected by the ratepayers of the district. Area and Population. There are two principal islands, known as the North and Middle Islands, besides the South or Stewart's Island, and small outlying islands. The group is nearly 1,000 miles long, and 200 miles across at the broadest part. Its coast line extends over 3,000 miles. New Zealand is situated 1,200 miles to the east of the Australian continent. It was first visited by Tasman in 1642, afterwards by Captain Cook in 1769. The area of New Zealand is estimated at 104,471 square miles. The North Island is estimated to embrace an area of 44,468 square miles, the Middle Island 5,525, while Stewart's Island has an area of 665 square miles. New Zealand was officially established as a colony in 1840. The total acreage of the colony is 66,710,320, and up to the end of 1892, 20,364,209 acres had been alienated from the Crown. The following table gives the population of New Zealand, exclusive of aborigines, at various dates, according to census returns: The population of each provincial district and its area, with the population per square mile, is shown in the succeeding table as at last census (1891): In April 1891 the population of the North Island was 281,445; of the South Island, including Stewart's Island, 344,913. In 1876, New Zealand, previously divided into ten provinces, was divided into counties and boroughs. The census of 1891 gave the total population as 668,651, including 41,993 Maoris. The total included 4,444 Chinese, of whom only 18 were females. Of the Maoris, 22,861 were males, and 19,132 females. The total number includes 2,760 half-castes, living as members of Maori tribes, and 251 Maori wives of European husbands. In 1857 the number of Maoris was estimated at 56,049, but this statement is not closely reliable. Of the total population, excluding Maoris, in 1891, 605,196 persons, or 96 72 per cent., were British-born subjects. Of these, 366,716, or 58 61 per cent., were born in New Zealand, and 218,834, or 34 97 per cent., born in the United Kingdom (117,070 in England, 2,214 in Wales, 51,916 in Scotland, and 47,634 in Ireland). The foreign subjects numbered 14,594, or 2:33 per cent. of the population. Excluding the Chinese, 67 62 per cent. of the population was found to be unmarried; 29:18 per cent. married; and 3·20 widowers or widows. Of the population, enumerated in April 1891, 352,097 lived in the rural districts; 270,343 or 43 14 per cent., lived in boroughs; 913 lived on adjacent islands, and 3,305 were on board ship. Of the total population in 1891, 59 67 per cent. were returned as dependents; 14 45 per cent. as agricultural, pastoral, mineral, and other primary producers; 11 25 per cent. industrial; 689 per cent. commercial; 3.98 per cent. domestic; 2.52 per cent. professional; and 124 per cent. indefinite. At the census of 1891 there were four towns with over 10,000 inhabitants in New Zealand-namely, Auckland, 28,613, or with suburbs, 51, 127; Wellington (the seat of Government), 31,021, or with suburbs, 33,224; Christchurch, 16,223, or with suburbs, 47,846 ; and Dunedin, 22,376, or with suburbs, 45,865 inhabitants. The estimated population of the colony, excluding 41,993 Maoris, was on December 31, 1892, 650,433 persons (345, 146 males and 305,287 females). The birth rate for the year 1892 was 27 83 per 1,000 persons living; the death rate was 10'06 per 1,000; and the marriage rate, 6.23. |