Economic Statistics of tin: Empire.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 4524, 28 November 1884, Page 2

Economic Statistics of tin: Empire.

Comtarisons aro odious only when mado offensively, or so as to hurt those who are shown in an unfavourable light; but when dealing with general statistics, and at such great distance from the other places concorned, we Australasian colonists may be allowed a little Belf-gratulation whon we compare ourselves with other sections of the Anglo-Saxon race. The comparison, in fact, which we would wish to mako has been made for us, and by no less an authority than tho President of the Eoonomlo Science and Statistic Section of the British Association, During tho recent meeting 'at Montreal that gentleman gave an ablo address dealing with the statistics of the British} Empire and the llnited States, from which the figures we propose giving here aro quoted. The commercial supremacy of Britain is still maintained, and her colonies contribute not a littlo toward- that result. Thus we find that while 21 per cent, of the world's commerce is in the hands of Britain, other 13 per cent, is claimed by her colonies and dependencies. The ratio of seaborne commerce per inhabitant yearly is £20 in the United Kingdom, £31 in Australasia, £9 in Canada, and £6 in the United States. This shows Australasian colonists in thechnracter of the most energetio people on the face of the earth, and the statistics as te wages prove them to bo also the most prosperous. We frequently hear men speak of tho high wages to be earned in the United States, but according to these statistics, the average earnings there only amount to £27 4s per head, while in Australia thoy reach the sum of £43 4s. Even English wages are on the average higher tlian American, being £35 4s per head par annum, but Canada is lowor, the figures for. that colony being only £26 18s. As to the amount earned by capital, the Australasian colonies take precedence also—a return of 22 per cent, being obtained here, against 14 per cent, obtained in England. These facts, if pondered by the people of tho Old Country, and their significance properly apprehended, would show that this part of the world is the best destination for both capital and labour in search of profitable employment. For those people who are constantly making a bugbear of colonial indebtedness, it will bo interesting to Btate that while the total public debt of the British Empire is £1,062,000,000, only £29,.,000,0C0 belong to India and tho colonies, Australasia, it must be reipeijibered, cq3sassps ap many miles of to'ograph as Great Britain has, with (jhjy a tithe of the population, and she has 1,020 miles of railway to every million inhabitants, against 520 miles in the United Kingdom. Furthermore, there aro six times more telegrams sent in Britain per annum than in Australasia, while her railways earn three times the amount that ours do por milefacts which further prove how elastic are our resources and how light is the burden of debt in comparison with our possessions. Though we may not for another decade have the honour of a visit from the British Association, we hope tho Statistic Section of that Society will not fail to draw attention every year to the high position, commercial and industrial, whioh those colonies oqeupy, by collating those comparative statistics which prove these to bo tho most prosperous of all English-speaking communities.