customs duties, and the rest mainly from licenses and leases of crown lands, mining and other licenses, and land sales. The colony has an imperial grant in aid, amounting to 10,000l. per annum. Western Australia had a public debt of 511,000l. at the end of 1881, the total including a loan of 200,000l. at 4 per cent., raised in 1879 for the construction of a railway, and another of 150,000l. in 1881. Also a further loan of 254,000l. has been authorised for completion of Eastern Railway, making when floated a total public debt of 765,000l. in 1883. Population and Trade. As defined by Royal Commission, Western Australia includes all that portion of the continent situated to the westward of 129° E. longitude. The greatest length of this territory is 1,280 miles from north to south, and 800 miles from east to west, while the occupied portion of the colony is about 600 miles in length from north to south, by about 150 miles in average breadth. The total estimated area of the colony is 1,057,250 English square miles, including islands. It is divided into 14 districts. Western Australia was first settled in 1829, and for many years the population was small. In 1850, the colony had not more than 6,000 inhabitants, but at the census of December 1859, the population had risen to 14,837, namely, 9,522 males and 5,315 females. On the 31st December 1867, the population numbered 21,713, comprising 13,934 males and 7,779 females. At the census taken on the 31st March 1870, the total population was 25,353, of whom 15,565 were males and 9,788 females. Included in these numbers were 1,790 male prisoners, either in prisons or at working depôts in various parts of the colony. At the end of 1878, the estimated population of the colony was 28,166, according to the returns of births and deaths; and the results of the census of April 3, 1881, gave a total population of 29,708-17,062 males and 12,646 females. This shows an increase since 1870 of 4,923, or 19.86-1.8 per cent. per annum. These populations do not include the aborigines, of whose numbers it is difficult to give even an approximate estimate, scattered as they are over an extensive territory, much of which is yet entirely unknown. There were 2,346 aborigines in service in the colony in 1881. Of the total population in 1881, 20,410 were returned as unmarried, and 17,773 as being natives of West Australia. Perth, the capital, had 5,044 inhabitants in 1881, Fremantle 3,641. In 1882 there were 1,089 births and 430 deaths, giving a surplus of 659. In 1882 there were 932 immigrants and 838 emigrants, leaving a total of 94 emigrants. 1 The religious division of the population was as follows at the Of the total white population above 15 years in 1881, 9.93 per cent. could neither read nor write. Education is compulsory. The agricultural prosperity of the colony has been greatly on the rise in recent years; still there were only 60,821 acres of land under cultivation at the end of 1881, out of a total of 626,000,000 acres. The live stock consisted, in 1882, of 34,782 horses, 64,603 cattle, and 1,221,079 sheep. At the census of 1881, 4,763 persons were returned as directly engaged in agricultural pursuits-exclusive of their families; 2,607 persons were engaged in industrial pursuits. Of the cultivated area, 29,352 acres were under wheat, 6,659 under barley, 1,690 under oats, and 19,968 under hay. The total area alienated in the Colony up to the end of 1882 was 1,688,978 acres. In 1879 upwards of 20,000,000 acres of well-watered country were discovered along the river courses of the north and north-east of the territory, affording not only good pasturage, but adapted to the cultivation of sugar, coffee, and rice. Efforts are being made to utilise this territory. The total value of the imports and exports, including bullion and specie, of Western Australia, in the five years from 1878 to 1882, is shown in the subjoined statement: The value of the commercial intercourse of Western Australia with Great Britain is shown in the following table, which gives the total exports of the colony to Great Britain, and the total imports of British home produce, in each of the five years from 1878 to 1882: The exports of the colony to Great Britain consist almost entirely of wool and of lead ore. The wool exports were of the value of 142,5047. in 1876, of 150,0391. in 1877, of 146,2027. in 1878, of 157,5891. in 1879, of 179,8331. in 1880, of 221,3897. in 1881, and of 186,0157. in 1882. Of lead ore the exports to Great Britain amounted to 8,6317. in 1881, and 5,9277. in 1882. Recent scientific researches prove the colony to be rich in mineral ore, principally copper, and coal has been found in small quantities. In 1882, 202 vessels of 172,698 tons entered, and 201 of 171,549 tons cleared the ports of the colony. There were 93 miles of railway open for traffic at the end of 1882 and 21 miles under construction. In 1882 there were 1,585 miles of telegraph line within the colony, with 29 stations; and from Albany the wire extends to South Australia. There is also (1883) in course of construction a line of 700 miles, extending from Geraldton to Port Cossack on the North West coast, which it is probable will be united by submarine cable with the telegraph system of the world. In 1881 there passed through the post-office 929,624 letters, 693,283 newspapers, and 79,313 packets. Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning Australasia. 1. OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS. Agricultural Statistics of the Colony of New Zealand. Fol. Wellington, 1883. Australian Statistics, published annually, with Report, by H. H. Hayter, C.M.G., Government Statist of Victoria. Melbourne, 1883. Census of New South Wales, taken on the 3rd April, 1881. Fol. Sydney, 1882. Census of New Zealand, taken on the 3rd of April, 1881. Fol. Wellington. 1882. Census of Victoria, 1881. Fol. Melbourne, 1883. Census of the Colony of Queensland, taken on the 3rd April, 1881. Fol, Brisbane, 1882. Census of South Australia, taken on the 3rd April, 1881. Summary tables, Fol. Adelaide, 1881. Census of the Colony of Western Australia, taken on the 3rd April, 1881. Fol. Perth, 1882. Census of Tasmania, 1881. Hobart, 1883. Financial Statement for New South Wales for 1882. Fol. Sydney, 1882. Financial Statement for South Australia, 1882-3. Adelaide, 1883. Financial Statement for Victoria. Melbourne, 1883. Financial Statement of the Treasurer of Tasmania. Hobart, 1883. Handbook for New Zealand. By James Hector, C.M.G., F.R.S., 3rd edition. Wellington, 1883. Fol. Melbourne, 1883. Hayter (H. H.), Notes on the Colony of Victoria. Melbourne, 1876. Hayter (H. H.), Victorian Year-Book for 1883. Melbourne, 1883. Mineral Statistics of Victoria for the year 1882. New Guinea, Further Correspondence respecting. London, 1883. New South Wales in 1881. Published by Authority. Sydney, 1882. New South Wales: Blue-book for the year 1882. Fol. Sydney, 1883. New South Wales; its progress and resources, prepared for the Amsterdam Exhibition. Sydney, 1883. New Zealand: Financial Statement of the Colonial Treasurer for 1883. Wellington, 1883. New Zealand: Import, Export and Shipping Returns for 1882. Wellington, 1883. 8. Official Handbook of New Zealand. London, 1883. Papers relating to H.M.'s Colonial Possessions. Reports from 1877 to 1852. London, 1882. Queensland: Blue Book for the year 1882. Fol. Brisbane, 1883. Queensland: Report from the Auditor-General on Public Accounts for the year 1882. Fol. Brisbane, 1883. Queensland: Twenty-third Annual Report from the Registrar-General on Vital Statistics. Fol. Brisbane, 1883. Railways of New South Wales. Report of their construction and working, from 1878 to 1881. Fol. Sydney, 1881. South Australia; its History, Productions, and Natural Resources, by J. P. Stow. Adelaide, 1883. Statistical Abstract for the several Colonial and other Possessions of the United Kingdom in each year, from 1867 to 1881. No. XIX. 8. London, 1883. Statistical Notes on the Progress of Victoria, from the foundation of the Colony. 4. Melbourne, 1862-78. Statistics of the Colony of New Zealand for the year 1882. Compiled from Official Records. Fol. Wellington, 1883. Statistics of the Colony of Queensland for 1882. Brisbane, 1883. Statistical Register of New South Wales for the year 1882. Fol. Sydney, 1883. Statistical Register of South Australia for 1882. Fol. Adelaide, 1883. Statistics of the Colony of Queensland for the year 1882. Fol. Brisbane, 1883. Statistics of the Colony of Tasmania for the year 1882. Fol. Hobart Town, 1883. Statistical Register of the Colony of Victoria for the year 1882. Fol. Melbourne, 1883. Tasmania: Progress of the Colony, 1871-80. Hobart, 1882. Victoria Defence Reorganisation scheme. Melbourne, 1883. Western Australia: Blue Book for the year 1882. Fol. Perth, 1883. Trade of Great Britain with Australasia; in Annual Statement of the Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom with Foreign Countries and British Possessions in the year 1832. Imp. 4. London, 1883. 2. NON-OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS. Bates (H. W.) and Eden (C. H.), Colonel Warburton's Journey across Australia. 8. London, 1875. Bell (Sir F. D.), The Public Debt of Australasia. London, 1882. Blair's Cyclopædia of Australasia. Melbourne, 1881. Bonwick (James), The Resources of Queensland. London, 1880. Boothby (J.), The relative positions and aggregate importance of the Australasian colonies at the end of 1873. In Almanack of the Statistical Society for 1875.' 8. London, 1875. Braim (Th. N.), New Homes. The rise, progress, present position and future prospects of each of the Australian Colonies and New Zealand. S. London, 1870. Bramall (H.), The mineral resources of New Zealand. London, 1883. Clarke (Rev. W. B.), On the Progress of Gold Discovery in Australasia, from 1860 to 1871. 8. Sydney, 1871. Cotton (J. S.) and Payne (E. J.), Colonies and Dependencies in English Citizen Series.' London, 1883. Dilke (Sir Charles Wentworth, Bart., M.P.), Greater Britain: a record of travel in English-speaking countries in 1866 and 1867. 3rd edit. 8. London, 1869. Forrest (John), Explorations in Australia. 8. London, 1875. Giles (E.), Geographic Travels in Central Australia. Melbourne, 1875. Gordon & Gotch's Australian Handbook for 1883. Melbourne and London, 1882. Hardman (Wm.), John M'Douall Stuart's Journals of Explorations in Australia from 1858 to 1862. 8. London, 1866. Harcus (William), South Australia: its history, resources, productions, and statistics. 8. London, 1876. Hay (W. D.), Brighter Britain: or, Settler and Maori in Northern New Zea land. 2 vols. London, 1882. Hayter (H. H.), Statistical Account of the Colony of Victoria in 'Journal of the Statistical Society,' 1879. London, 1879. Heaton (J. H.), Australian Dictionary of Dates and Men of the Time. 8. London and Sydney, 1879. Hill (Rosamond and Florence), What we saw in Australia. 8. London, 1875. Hochstetter (Fr. von), New Zealand: its Physical Geography, Geology, and Natural History. 2 vols. 4. London, 1868. Howitt (W.), History of Discovery in Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. 2 vols. 8. London, 1865. |